By Shadows and Lights
by jade-tiger1
Summary: Yugi, Ryou and Seto are vampire hunters but what happens when their other halves are one of those they swore to kill
1. Prologue: Introducing the Lights

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters, although I wish I did (especially Ryou and Yami Bakura and Kaiba *sigh*) Oh well. However, I do own the idea of this story and any original character that may pop up from the depths of my mind. Warning: This is a slash fic, which means there is male/male coupling in this little ficcie (my baby *cuddles fic*) Ahem, anywayz 'nuff of my weirdness. You have been warned. Oh and I know it is totally out of wack from the show, it is an AU.  
  
A.N. I will be using the name I know from the show except for Bakura and his Yami. Bakura (the cute innocent one) will be known as Ryou and Yami Bakura (the evil hot one *eyes glaze over with the thought*) will be known as Bakura. Oh and Yugi's Yami will be known as Yami. (original huh?) Also, it has come to my attention that I can't use Ryou's last name because it is Bakura's name, so he will have a new last name courtesy of me. Other characters may also have original last names too.  
  
Prologue: Introducing the Lights  
  
Isn't it weird how fate can play the strangest games with people's life, turning everything you know and believe up side down. Well that's how it is most of the time. We think we know something or someone so well and then something happens and whole new perspectives and facets appear and hit you smack in the middle of your unsuspecting forehead. Or sometimes where you think you are the least bit vulnerable - your heart.  
  
That's what happened to these six guys. Six guys that, lets just say, ironically finds their hearts fondest desire where they least expected. I know it's all been done before, but hear me out; their story is stranger than you would think. Well let me introduce you to our players. I'll introduce the "Lights" first, they're the ones that no one knows about but saves many lives at a daily basis.  
  
The first of these guys is the ever wide-eyed optimist Yugi Moto (spelling?). When you first see the little guy, oh and with that comment I'm not trying to be rude or make fun of him but he is a little short for his age, you'd think 'Oh what a sweet little tyke'. That's, more than likely, before you see him kick major ass. Out of the three Lights he's the one that was able to stay the most open and social. Although I'm not saying that his life has been any easier than the others. Nope, his life has been just as hard. You see he lost his entire family when he was young. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time, to say the least, they were all killed. So that left little Yugi alone, and headed for the orphanage, but you know what I said about fate before, well here it is coming back again. I might seem like a cold and unfeeling bitch with this comment, but when he went into that orphanage his whole life was changed, and for the better.  
  
The next is the cold ever unfeeling and logical Seto Kaiba. With my description you'd think he's just a bastard that doesn't care about anything but himself, right? Wrong! He's one of those people who hide behind a mask so he won't be hurt. Well actually with him, it's more like a 3-foot thick wall made out of solid concrete, but let me go on. He really is just a big closet softie, well with those close to him anyway. If not, let's just say that some people have been known to be admitted into the hospital due to severe frostbite, and that is the least of the damages he's been known to cause, that kid has a temper. Out of the three he's the most suppressed and grim, but he's very protective of those he cares about and of those he has chosen to protect, which includes the entire human population. His life has been as hard as Yugi, maybe even more so, since he has a little brother to take care of. You see his parents died too, he was around eight when they were killed and he and his little brother Mokuba was left alone, and with Mokuba being so young he had a hard time making sure they stayed together. That's when he and Yugi met at the orphanage, and a strong friendship was born.  
  
The last light is the innocent eyed jaded Ryou Hunter. Out of the three he has the most knowledge of the darker side of life. When you look at him you'd see what looks like an average kid, well except his hair which happens to be white as snow, and the thought of him seeing his family slaughtered in front of his eyes would never occur to you. Well it happened, and the saddest thing is he was only seven. Most would think that anyone who went through that would end up in an asylum, but Ryou is a lot stronger than he looks, or lets on. Actually even through what he went through he survived mentally, if not emotionally, unscathed, things like that leaves a scar in the heart. His is just less noticeable because he hides it very well, and with those big brow eyes of his and that shy smile, he is just the most angelic looking guy you'd probably ever see. However, like Yugi he can and does kick ass. He is also even more distance than Kaiba sometimes, and does put up a lot of barriers. But like the others, which he meets later on in life, fate has a lot in store for him.  
  
Now that you have the background on the Lights, let me tell you about their other half. Actually, you know, I think I'll just let you meet them later on, when they meet the Lights.  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: YAY!!!!!! My first ever fanfic chapter done! *does little dance* and drags Ryou into it Yami Bakura OO, : oookay weird *backs away slowly* tiger *continues to dance and drags in Yugi and Joey too* Yami, Yami Bakura and Seto : (OO,) (~'-'~) (-'_'-) OMG!!!! she's corrupting them! Yami Bakura *turns to reader* please forgive tiger's strangeness she hasn't had her medication yet Yami *trying to coax tiger down from tree* cammon tiger, you know you want your yummi medication......cammon tiger *shakes head* don't want medication *pout* want more sugar!!!! hehehehehe Ryou *looks at everyone* who gave her sugar! !!please review!! 


	2. Chapter 1: Haunting Past and New Future

By Shadows and Lights  
  
by: jade_tiger  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters from the show. The only characters I can claim to be mine are those that come from my insane.....I mean creative imagination.  
  
Warning: This is a slash fic and does contain male/male pairings, so if you are offended by this kind of thing you have been warned!! This fic is also an AU so it is not in the same timeline as the show and characters may be OOC at times.  
  
  
  
A.N. I would also like to point out that some character's name, whether first or last, have been changed for this fic.  
  
In this chapter Ryou, Seto, and Yugi are 10 years old. Yugi and Seto are in an orphanage, and Ryou is living with a relative.  
  
Chapter One: Haunting Past and New Future  
  
  
  
  
  
A pair of cinnamon brown eyes stared at the young boy, sadness in their depths, slivers of crimson radiating from the pupil. "Don't worry little Light, I won't allow harm to come to you." said a comforting voice. The young boy with snow white hair looked at the figure looming over him with a tragic sadness deep in his eyes, an understanding beyond his years dulling the usually bright eyes causing pain to lance through the taller figure's heart. "Such innocent eyes should not hold that look of loss. Forgive me for not being able to prevent this tragedy. I promise I'll do all I can to ensure your safety from now on. However, I cannot allow you to remember me or what I did, so sleep, rest your eyes and soul, and when you awaken do not remember me." the hypnotic rhythm of the voice lulled the small child to sleep.  
  
Eyes of the same cinnamon brown flew open as the memory of the dream retreated once again to the back of his mind. A shaking hand impatiently pushed back locks of snow white hair from a face that looked as though it belonged to that of an angel. "Who are you?" asked the young man in the darkness, and as always he received only silence as a response. A tear slips from his eye as he fought with his memories of that night, trying in vain to remember who it was that saved him from the same fate as his family. A fate he sometimes wished he had not been saved from.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Seto, Yugi, I'd like to see both of you on my office, please." said the orphanage administrator. "I wonder what this is all about." whispered the small spike haired young man to his slightly taller companion as the two walked down the hall leading to the office. "I don't know, but I don't like." Seto replied in a cool voice, his logical mind running through possible reasons for being called, none of them were promising. "You know you shouldn't be so pessimistic, you always scare away the people who want to adopt you with your scowl." Yugi said with a smile at his best friend. "Maybe it's because I don't want to be adopted." was the reply he received as they reached the office and knocked. Both took a deep breath before opening the door and entering. "Good, you boys made it, I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten lost or something." said Ms. Jenkins, "Well, gentlemen I'd like to introduce the two of you to our guests...."  
  
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it Kai(1)," whispered Yugi in a daze as he sat on his bed, "They want us, I mean ....... they want to take both of us! All of us!" he was still having trouble believing it was true and not some day dream he had made up. After all it wouldn't have been the first, he'd always wished that if he was ever adopted that his 'parents' would adopt Seto too, and Mokuba. Now the daydream appeared to have become reality and he wasn't sure he could handle the news. "I know.... they want to take us, and they're willing to adopt all three of us. They won't try to separate Mokuba and I, like all the others wanted to." Seto, was also as dumbfounded at the event of the day. However, deep inside his young heart he hoped against all hopes that this was real, that it wasn't some sick joke as others had been. He had spent most of his young years making sure he and his little brother weren't torn apart. He didn't think he go on losing another family member, even Yugi was family to him. Ever since he and Mokuba arrived at the orphanage two years ago, Yugi had been his friend, his best friend, almost like a brother.  
  
The next day came with a clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds. "Bye guys, don't forget about us!" yelled a young boy out an open window at the three figures being led to a black car. "Bye!" waved Yugi turning to look at what had been his home since his family was killed. Remembering his fear at the big building and his loneliness even though he was surrounded by other children. Now he was almost reluctant to leave, it felt as though he was losing his family again. "I'll miss you all!! I promise to visit!" Mokuba exclaimed at Yugi's side waving vigorously at all the children looking out the window, tears freely flowing down his young face. "Seto, aren't you going to wave goodbye?" Mokuba asked curiously, looking up at his brother. "Yeah I will." Seto whispered smiling at his little brother before turning to wave the other children. "Come on you three, we'll bring you back to visit your friends. We promise." said Mrs. Anderson smiling at her three sons. Sons the word still threatened to bring tears to her eyes, she had long ago given up hope for children. Now she had three precious angels to take care of, to love. With that promise the three boys entered the car and their new life began, a life that contained the love of parents, laughter and friendships.  
  
'A new day.' thought the young man looking up at the clear sky, ' I wonder if I'll get one of those bastards today. I hope so.' with that thought Ryou turned and began his walk to school. A new day for him usually meant a new enemy, and with each new enemy killed his reputation spread, and his skills improved. Most importantly, however, he came closer to his goal, a goal that drove him to hunt each night and any other time necessary. Revenge.  
  
to be continued  
  
1. Kai is short for Kaiba, I'll probably use that nickname again in this story.  
  
tiger: wow am i depressing or what? Ryou: you're depressing? i'm the one bent on revenge and death! Seto: well that whole revenge and death thing *did* come from her mind sooo.... tiger: damn straight it did *taps temple* all from up here Yami Bakura: you know that might not be something you want to tell the world Yami and Yugi *grinning*: hey we have the perfect present for your next b- day tiger!  
  
tiger: sugar!!!???? *smiles excitedly* Yami: nope even better - a nice warm jacket, with buckles Yugi: *nodding* lots of buckles Ryou: but isn't that a straight jacket you guys are holding? *blinks innocently*  
  
tiger: revenge shall be mine! *Yami and Yugi runs for the hills* Yami Bakura: *shaking head* who forgot her medication again?  
  
  
  
!!please review!! 


	3. Chapter 2: Meetings

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me in any way, shape or form. This story's plot and any original characters that may appear are mine.  
  
Warning: This fic contains male/male coupling so incase you have a problem with it you have been warned. Otherwise enjoy!!!  
  
A.N. For the sake of the story some characters such as Ryou, and later Yami and Yami Bakura, will have different last names than those of the show. The characters may also act OOC at certain points, this also is necessary for my twisted....er....unique plot to work.  
  
In this chapter the three are now 13 years old. Seto and Yugi are going to the same school and Ryou is living with a new relative.  
  
Chapter Two: Meetings  
  
The young man knocked on the wooden door loudly after ringing the doorbell several times, but still he received no answer from within. "Where could they be?" he asked out loud an apparent accent evidence of a life in a different place. "I'm sure they know I'm arriving today." he said once again knocking on the door this time with impatience. 'Hmp, they probably ran for the hills once they got the news that I was coming.' he thought cynically. Ryou turned and looked around the front yard and around the neighbourhood for any signs of his relatives, or danger. Throughout the years he'd grown accustomed to surveying his surroundings for danger, and for once he saw no sign of the monsters he hunted. 'Guess I'll have to wait here 'till they arrive. Won't that be a surprise for them.' he thought with a small smirk. With that he sat on the steps and began his wait.  
  
"We'd love to have you here Ryou." he said sarcastically, imitating his uncle's false enthusiasm. "Yeah, right. That's why they can't wait to pass me off to the next relative." this was the second time he moved this year, and he was starting to run out of relatives who were willing to take him in. It was strange enough how the youth looked and how he was such a loner, but his disappearing for hours, sometimes days, was quiet unnerving for his family. Add to that that he had witnessed death at such a young age, well family or not many of his relatives were not comfortable with him and tried to pass him off as quickly as possible. Ryou never explained his disappearances, or why he sometimes returned bruised and battered, he felt no need to. He also didn't mind moving around so much because it allowed him to stay relatively undetected, which ensured the safety of his secret. "Might as well get some rest, big day tomorrow," he said to himself, "Another school, another hell hole." with that the pale haired teen slipped into bed and fell asleep. The last thought in his mind was, 'Maybe they'll be here, maybe this is where my hunt will end.'  
  
The classroom buzzed with the exciting news of a new student that had been seen at the office that morning. "Did you see him?" asked one girl, "Yeah, he was so cute. Strange hair though, I wonder if he died it?" "I hear he's related to Emily Johnson, you know that really snobby girl in the next class." "I hear he's here 'cause he was thrown out of military school." On and on the rumours circulated and soon the new student sounded like he was from an entirely different planet. "Hey Seto, did you hear about that new student?" asked Yugi to his companion, who sat behind him, actually he was supposed to have that seat but it became apparent to the teacher that the small teen could not see over Seto at all. "Who hasn't," Seto replied his tone sardonic, "By the way everyone is going on about it, it sounds like we've never had a new student before." "Well you can't really blame everyone, we don't usually get a new student this time of the year." Yugi smiled at his friend who made a sound of agreement, and turned as the teacher walked in the classroom and immediately ordered silence. "Now class, as I'm sure you've all heard, we have a new student joining us today. I'd like you all to welcome Ryou Hunter." The murmurs began once again as a young man with white hair and large brown eyes entered the room and regarded the class with with a small, almost shy smile uttering a tentative "Hello." with a softly accented voice. The girls sighed at the sight and guys grumbled at the reaction. Yugi, being the friendly optimist, gave the new student a big smile while Seto, being the logical opposite of his friend, regarded the new student with suspicion. 'He's hiding something.' he thought before the teacher assigned Ryou the seat next to him and told the class to open their homework to be marked.  
  
Lunch was, as always, loud. The two friends entered the cafeteria and searched for an empty table, where they could eat in peace, or at least as peaceful as can be in the cafeteria during lunch. "Hey Seto, do you see any seats available?" Yugi asked his taller companion, he would have looked himself but his height gave him a distinct disadvantage at this search. "No, and I'd rather not sit with anyone today." Seto replied his ice blue gazed sweeping the room for any free tables. "Damn, you'd think in a school this size they'd have more free tables." he muttered under his breath. "Look, isn't that Ryou sitting by himself?" Yugi said suddenly catching a glimpse of white between the crowds. "Maybe we can sit with him. Come on lets go see." with that he pulled his companion, who looked at the lone figure sitting at a table with a slight frown, towards their new classmate. "Hi! Do you mind if we sit here?" Yugi asked his violet eyes shinning, "There aren't any free tables and my brother (1) doesn't want to be sociable." the short young man explained smiling. "Of course it isn't any problem." Ryou assured him. "I'm Yugi Moto, and this is my brother Seto Kaiba." introduced the spike haired teen. "Yes, I sit next to you, right?" Ryou asked Seto with a small questioning frown. "Yep, you sit next to Seto and I sit in front of him." the small teen said nodding happily as he chewed his sandwich. "You two are brothers?" Ryou asked suddenly asked surprise flashing through his eyes. "Yes, we are." Seto spoke for the first time, his tone cool, "We're adoptive brothers." "Oh." "So, tell us Ryou, where'd you just move from?" asked the enthusiastic tri-coloured haired young man.  
  
When lunch finished the three teens returned to their class. This was the beginning of their friendship as well as, for Yugi and Seto at least, the first steps to more tragedies in their lives and changes that would affect the way they saw the world. It would also open their eyes to the truly dark side of life. This would lead to their ultimate fate.  
  
to be continued  
  
1. In the previous chapter Yugi and Seto, along with Mokuba, were adopted so technically they are brothers. However I will keep their last names the same as the show so I wont confuse myself.  
  
Ryou: no body wants me! *sniffs* Yami Bakura: you're only realising that now? tiger: be nice Bakura, or else *shows story out line* you might find your self dying unexpectedly Yami Bakura: you wouldn't, i thought you liked me *sniff* tiger: awww you guys are just soo cute, dang it! *huggles Ryou and Yami Bakura* Seto: *walks in and stops at the sight* i'm not going to ask *slowly backs away* tiger: get back here Kaiba! Seto: what'd i do? i just got here? why does everyone hate me? *sniff* tiger: i don't hate you, you're my favourite. *huggels Seto* Ryou and Yami Bakura: what about us?! tiger: ( ^.^ ) umm, well, hhmmmnn. okay i love all three of you guys *huggles all three* Seto, Ryou, Yami Bakura: *choking* can't breathe......help!  
  
!!please review!! 


	4. Chapter 3: Secrets Revealed

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to me; the only characters that do belong to me are those that have appeared out of my imagination. Although if the owners of Yu-Gi-Oh are willing to sell, I'll take Ryou, Bakura and Kaiba.  
  
Warning: This fic is a slash fic; you all know what that means, male/male pairings. So if any of you have a problem with that sort of thing do not continue reading after this.  
  
A.N. Some character, such as Ryou, Yami and Yami Bakura, will have different last names than in the show. This is a necessity so the fic to not be confusing to the readers as well as for me when writing.  
  
In this chapter a few months have past since Ryou moved to the same school as Yugi and Seto, they have all become good friends, but Ryou has not yet revealed his secret to the others.  
  
Chapter Three: Secrets Revealed  
  
The three companions walked down the sidewalk, two were talking about the movie they had just seen while the third remained silent. "Hey, Seto," said Yugi getting the tall young man's attention, "What was your favourite part?" "Yeah, Seto, you haven't spoken since we left." added the white haired young man who walked next to their silent companion. "I have no favourite part. I didn't even want to see that movie, but the two of you insisted." Seto replied his voice toneless. "Oh stop being such a stick in the mud, Kai, we know you enjoyed it too." said Yugi confidently.  
  
Suddenly a man wearing a dark coat and black baseball cap walked by knocking into Ryou forcefully. "Hey, watch it." barked Seto glaring at the strange man, who had stopped to look back at the white haired young man who as now on the ground. "Sorry, I didn't see your little friend." replied the stranger giving a strange smirk; his canines seemed to gleam in the coming darkness. "Whatever, just watch where you're going next time." warned Seto turning away from the man and facing his companions. Ryou now stood staring at the stranger with an unreadable expression in his chocolate brown eyes. After returning Ryou's stare the man turned and walked away heading for a dark alley. "Are you alright Ryou?" asked Yugi in concern. "Yeah, I'm fine," assured Ryou, "But, listen you guys, I just remembered I have something I forgot to take care of. So I.. I'll see you guys later all right. Bye." he continued hurriedly, waving to his friends distractedly and following the path that the stranger took. "What's with him? He seemed distracted and anxious." Yugi said. "Yes, I know. I think we should follow him. He's hiding something, and I, for one, am sick of it." said Seto following the pale haired young man down the sidewalk, his short brother following close by.  
  
Ryou turned to the alley and saw the figure in the shadows easily. The man stood silently and seemed to not move at all, as if he were waiting, expecting Ryou to follow him. "That's because I was." said the stranger, reading the thought from Ryou's mind easily. "So you know who I am." he stated, coming fully into the alley. "Who doesn't, now a days? The young Hunter. We thought all those of your blood had been destroyed, but I guess Bakura was mistaken. By the way my name is Simon." the man informed Ryou. "Bakura? What has he got to do with the murder of my family?" Ryou asked fiercely, if this man knew about those who murdered his family then he would be even closer to his goal. "You've heard of Bakura? Have you ever seen him?" the man sneered, a parody of a smile. "No, but none of those who have ever tried to hunt him lived to tell anyone what he looks like." Ryou said knowing that Simon knew what he spoke of. "From what I've heard the same could be said about you, young Hunter. The threat you prove to be has far exceeded that of the Hunters before you. You should be proud." "Enough of this crap," Ryou suddenly snapped, a stake suddenly appearing in his hand, "Let's make sure my reputation stays unblemished."  
  
While this went on, two pairs of eyes watched unknown to the two in the alley. "Did you hear that Seto?" asked Yugi in a whisper, "That man knows something about the murder of Ryou's parents." Seto nodded standing behind the shorter young man, a logical position since if Yugi were to be behind him he would not have seen what happened next. Ryou moved with a surprising burst of speed, hurtling towards the man, seemingly unstoppable and unavoidable. However, the man moved with an inhuman speed and avoided the stake, but barely. The fight that ensued was fierce and deadly. Both fighters did not pull a single punch or kick, all the blows they threw were meant to do as much damage as possible. Suddenly an ominous glow seemed to envelop the man and Ryou was thrown against the alley wall with a sickening thud. "Shouldn't mess with an ancient, little Hunter." mocked the man giving a smile that revealed his sharp incisors and moving closer to Ryou who lay dazed against the brick wall. "Seto, we have to do something." said Yugi tugging at his brother's coat sleeve. "Yeah, let's go." replied Seto running into the alley silently.  
  
"Get the hell away from him." a voice suddenly growled from the entrance of the alley. Simon turned to see the two that had been walking with the Hunter earlier. "So you two punks are hunters too, huh?" Simon snarled his fangs no longer hidden, the evidence of his being causing the two young men to take a surprised step back. "Well when your little friend wakes up, tell him I'll catch him later. The same goes for the two of you." with that threat he moved back into the shadow and seemed to melt away into nothingness. "Ryou!" Yugi exclaimed going up to their friend who was trying to stand in vain, pain radiating from his shoulder where he had connected with the wall. "Will you be alright?" asked Seto helping the slightly shorter young man. "Yeah, I'll be fine...but you two should not have followed me." Ryou whispered hoarsely, knowing that by helping him, his two freinds had inadvertently thrown themselves into the hunt unknowingly. "Well, you didn't expect us to just stand there and let you get hurt did you?" asked Yugi. "It would have been better that way." Ryou replied. Seto losing his patience at his friend's stubbornness growled and began to walk out of the alley dragging the white haired young man with him without further arguments.  
  
"Enough with the secrecy, Ryou," said Seto sitting the young man on the living room couch, Mokuba and their parents were not there at the moment, and he thanked God for small blessings. "I know you've been hiding something and I've wondered what it was, but didn't pry. Now I think it's time you told us what the hell is going on." his tone brooked no arguments, and Ryou could do nothing but sigh. He knew that he was putting the only real friends he'd ever had in danger and it was tearing him up inside, he knew what the two had gone through when they were younger and he didn't want to be the cause of more pain for them, but it couldn't be helped. So with a deep breath he told the Seto and Yugi the secret that he had kept to himself for years. The reason why he often had bruises, cuts and other unexplainable injuries that he refused to talk about, even with them. The secret that had gotten his family killed when he was but a child.  
  
"Alright, Kai, I'll tell you guys, you two have the right to know. I'm a vampire hunter." he said quietly, "That's why my parents were killed, actually. You see I come from a long line of Hunters who, ironically, were hunters. My parents were vampire hunters but they quit once they had me. But they had killed too many vampires to be able to turn away from what they were good at." Seto and Yugi, both unsure if they could believe what was being said to them, sat silently as their friend opened his past pains to them, tears spilling unchecked down his cheeks. "One night one of their old friends came, they hadn't seen each other in years so they were so happy, I can still remember my mother laughing with my father. That was the night that they were killed, a vampire had been controlling their friend and that's how they knew where we lived. They came in and killed them all." Ryou closed his eyes to the pain that bombarded him at the memories of his parents and of the night of their death. "You don't have to go on." said Seto, "I didn't mean for you to relive the pain, I'm sorry." Yugi said nothing just sat and watched, feeling the anguish that his friend felt. "No, it's alright," Ryou assured the brunet, "That's why I always move around, I don't want to put my relatives in danger. I began hunting when I turned nine. A family tradition, I guess." he said giving a bark of laughter. "I have to go now, I'll try to catch Simon before the night is through, I don't want to give him a chance to go through with his threats to you guys." Ryou said standing and walking towards the door. "Are you sure you should? You could get hurt badly." said Yugi as Ryou opened the door. "Don't worry about me Yugi, I can handle him." Ryou assured his friend smiling down at the shorter boy. "Be careful, I don't know a lot about this sort of thing, but that guy was strong." said Seto to the white haired young man before he disappeared at the corner. 'Be careful.' thought the two young man who watched the corner for a few minutes before closing the door.  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: sorry that was longer than usual but i couldn't stop typing Yami Bakura: it's about time you had me in there again. Yami: what about me? i haven't been mentioned at all. only in passing and that was chapters ago. what are you complaining about at least she mentions you now and then. tiger: *shrugs* well Ryou plays the largest part in this fic, sorry Seto: what do you mean? you talk about Yugi and I more than him tiger: *smiles slyly* that's my style. Yugi: does that mean we all die except for him *tears well up in eyes and begins to sniffle* tiger: *sweat drop* easy there, don't want the whole place flooded Yami Bakura: *mumbles under breath* stupid short little weakling. *out loud* well if you're gonna keep whining like that i'll kill ya myself *hisses revealing fangs* i'm getting a bit peckish Ryou: when did you get those? *does cute little innocent blinking* Yami Bakura: *points to tiger* she gave 'em to me. said i had ta practice my part. *grins to show off nifty fangs* tiger: *pats Yugi* don't worry i haven't decided who to kill off yet *shows story outline* i could be convinced not to, let's say, extinguish a character's story time. Seto: o.O are you suggesting bribary? tiger: *nods eagerly* uh huh Yami Bakura: i like the way you think = )  
  
!!please review!!  
  
tiger: *waves hands wildly* WAIT!WAIT! I NEED HELP. Yami Bakura: -_-* she's finally admitting it tiger: shaddup! *deep breath* In the coming chapters the others will begin to appear and I have a teeny weeny problem. *sigh* THEY NEED LAST NAMES!!!!!! so please if you have any ideas for last names for Yami, and Bakura please please please tell me. you can e-mail me at jade_tiger8624@yahoo.com OR just review and tell me there. Any suggestions will be welcomed with open arms. 


	5. Chapter 4: Shadows Awakened

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me; neither does the characters in the show that I am borrowing for my fic. The only characters that I can lay claim to are those that have come from my own imagination.  
  
Warning: This fic does contain male/male pairings. You have been warned, if these types of pairings offend or bother you in any way, I'm sorry but this is my story! mwuahahahahah *hackhackwheeze* If not then enjoy!  
  
A.N. Some characters in this fic have different last names for the sake of not confusing readers as well as myself. Also the others will soon be making their appearances and I need last names for Yami and Yami Bakura. If you have any ideas for last names please, please, please tell me. All ideas are welcome, my e-mail is jade_tiger8624@yahoo.com OR you can review and put your suggestions there. I will, of course, give credit where credit is due when I use the names. So please suggestions!  
  
In this chapter it is the day after Yugi and Seto have found out Ryou's secret.  
  
Chapter Four: Shadows Awakened  
  
The young man walked down the sidewalk as the sun rose, heading towards his present home. His head was bent, with fatigue as well as defeat, concentrating on his inner struggle with his emotions. 'Shit, I can't believe I didn't find him.' Ryou thought to himself walking into the house and towards his room in the basement. 'God, I hope this doesn't lead to more tragedies.' he prayed as he striped off his clothes and slipped into bed. As soon as the young man's white hair touched the pillow his eyes closed and he was asleep, dreaming once again of a comforting voice in the darkness, and strong arms holding him close when the cold threatened to engulf his small frame. 'Who are you?' asked the small white haired boy in the dream in a quiet voice and again, as always, he received no answer.  
  
The two walked into the classroom expecting to see their friend in his usual seat; however, when they got there his seat was empty. "Seto, do you think something could have happened to Ryou?" asked Yugi with a worried voice, while he looked around the classroom in case they had just missed their friend. "No, I'm sure he's fine Yugi. Ryou can take care of himself." Seto assured his friend, he was unusually distracted not just by Ryou's absence but also because of Mokuba's sickness. His younger brother had fallen ill in the night and stayed home with their mother, and even though their father had promised to come home early for Mokuba Seto was too used to taking care of his brother himself to not be worried. "Mokuba will be fine Kai. It's only a small cold, he'll be better in a few days." Yugi assured his brother knowing instantly whom he was worried about, "Besides mom is watching over him. Now help me look for Ryou." he said trying to fight the urge to stand on his chair to be able to see over some of the people's heads. The bell rang and Ryou was still not in the class. 'I hope he's fine.' Yugi thought as the teacher began a new lesson.  
  
As the day progressed their worries increased, Yugi's for Ryou since he knew Mokuba was being watched over, and Seto for Mokuba since he had confidence in Ryou. Their last class came and their worries receded somewhat, both knowing they could check for themselves on their brother and on their friend once school was over. Suddenly the P.A. system crackled and the vice principal's voice was heard *Would Seto Kaiba and Yugi Moto please come down to the main office. Immediately.* The two boys threw each other a worried glance and stood from their desks walking out into the silent hallway. This reminded Seto about the time the three of them were adopted, but something told him the news this time around would be grim. "I wonder what this is about." Yugi said not being able to stand the silence, "I hope we aren't in any trouble." They reached the hallway leading to the main office and found that the principal himself was there, with two police officers.  
  
* "I'm sorry," the police officer said as soon as the two teens sat down, "A neighbour called in and...when we got there it was too late. There was no evidence of who could have done it. And no trace of your brother's where abouts or any ransom notes."* Yugi sat in stunned silence the news repeating over and over in his mind. They were dead, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Anderson, 37 and 39 respectively, were both dead, the cause unknown. They were found in their home when a neighbour had called the police saying a strange man had entered and left the house carrying the young Mokuba Kaiba. When the police arrived, it was to find the bodies of the couple in the living room. Yugi was startled to suddenly hear the scraping of a chair, and looked up to see Seto stand and walk out of the room quietly, his blue eyes blank. He stood as well and followed the taller young man as he walked out the building his destination unknown. The two walked in a stunned silence that was, to the two, deafening. Seto's destination soon became clear as Yugi saw Ryou's home.  
  
Seto stood on the front porch and knocked. His logical mind knew he could very well be jumping into conclusions, but the pain he felt blinded him to logic. Ryou, being alone in the house, answered the door to come face to face with a blank faced Seto and a red-eyed Yugi. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked, not wanting to know the answer but still asking. "You didn't get him did you?" Seto said speaking for the first time since hearing the news abut his family's murder and his brother's disappearance. Yugi gasped and looked at his brother, seeing the pain behind his seemingly cold blue eyes. "No, I didn't," Ryou whispered in response, pain filling him as he realized what must have happened but still he asked, "What happened?" looking into his small friend's eyes he saw the answer. "Come in." with the invitation the two entered the silent house.  
  
As soon as he sat Seto spoke once again, "He took my brother. I want to know where he could have taken him." "It's not that simple, Seto," Ryou sighed, "These creatures are not like they make them out to be in books and t.v. They are real and dangerous. You can't just decide to one day begin hunting them." Seto's eyes narrowed in determination briefly numbing his pain, "Watch me," he snarled suddenly, the tone full of unspeakable pain, "You can choose to help me or not Ryou, I don't give a fuck. The only reason I came here was to confirm what I thought. And it has been. Now all I care about is finding Mokuba." Yugi said nothing, only looked at the floor and thought of the only two people who cared enough about him as parents, and of who could have killed such kind souls, his rage slowly building. "Seto, listen to reason, you could get killed on your first hunt!" Ryou exclaimed, "I will help you, but not by allowing you to put your life in danger. I'll go myself to look for your brother." "And what? Huh? You couldn't even find him last night. What makes you think you can find him this time around?" Seto almost yelled standing, towering over Ryou who still sat, "It's all your fault in the first place! If you had done your job well my brother would still be here, and our parents would still be alive!" with that the tall young man broke and tears began to fall from his eyes. "I'm sorry, you're right it is my fault, and I'm truly sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise. But I wont let you kill yourself for this." Ryou said hoarsely. "No," Yugi said suddenly, "You have no say in what we choose to do. Seto is right, you can help us or we can go on our own. It doesn't matter which. We'll get our revenge for our family." the young man said fiercely reminding Ryou of his own goal. "All right I'll help you. We'll train, then we'll hunt."  
  
And so it began, the hunt of the three Lights. This was the day that marked the beginning of the decline of the vampire population. The three chose to work together combining their strengths to make the team one of the best vampire hunters ever known. Seto with his cool head and logical thinking was pushed on by his determination to find his brother; Ryou with his experience and skills driven by his need to find his family's murderers; and Yugi his passionate spirit never faltering from his goal of avenging the only real parents he'd ever known. The news of their skills would spread quickly, like wildfire and would cause many vampires their lives and many more to fear them from afar. In a mere few years they will gain what some families never will in generations, they will gain the notice of some of the most powerful vampires in the world. The vampires known as the Shadows will be awakened by the Lights.  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: that was sad *sniff* Seto: what have you done to Mokuba?! i demand to know his where abouts! Yugi: how could you do that tiger? you killed them *sniffs loudly* tiger: *shuffles feet* sorry Ryou: you made me look like i was an inadequate hunter. i feel very insulted right now. Yami: and you still haven't said anything about me Joey: or me Yami Bakura: you idiots *smacks Yami and Joey at the back of their heads* she did mention us. who do you think 'the Shadows' was refering to? morons Joey: we're vampire? 0.0? everyone: o.O* Yami Bakura: didn't you read the outline she gave out? *waves a copy in front of Joey's face* Joey: uuummm....hehe....no tiger: what?!! i typed those out individually so you would all know your character and when you'd be in the story. and your importance! and you don't read it! *deep breath the turns to Yugi* guess what, i finally know who to kill off Joey: what!! no!!  
  
!!please review!! 


	6. Introducing the Shadows

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me! *sniff* I wish it did though, well some of the characters anyway. *sob* I want the Bakuras and Kaiba!! If anyone wants to buy them and give them to me I'd gladly take them. ^_^ The only characters I can say belongs to me are those that I have created.  
  
Warning: This fic contains male/male pairings. If this type of thing bothers you do not read.  
  
A.N. The Lights wont be appearing in this chapter so I wont have to say anything about the changed last names. However, I will still ask for help in the predicament I have written myself into. I need last names for Yami and Yami Bakura. Keep in mind that the last names will only be used for certain parts of the fic, at any other time they will be called and referred to as Yami and Bakura, nothing else. So any suggestions for last names are welcome, anyone who has any ideas can leave their idea in the reviews OR you can e-mail me at jade_tiger8624@yahoo.com. All ideas are welcome!  
  
Introducing the Shadows  
  
So now you all know how the Lights got into the hunting business, and what pushes them on to continue the miserable existence of hunting and risking all they hold dear. Now I'll tell you about the other half, the ones that take life rather than save it, the ones who hunt the hunters on the side of the Vampires. I'll introduce you to the Shadows; these guys are a lot like the Lights, well kind of anyway.  
  
The first of the Shadows, and probably the oldest, is Yami, nothing else, just Yami. He was a very powerful ruler in ancient Egypt, oh hell all right, he was the Pharaoh, a damn powerful Pharaoh too. So that means he is, naturally, arrogant and used to having his orders followed without question, an annoying trait for those he works with. However, even though he is a bit of a control freak, his actions are tempered with his great sense of responsibility and compassion for life. I know, compassion for life in a vampire who hunts to kill, but it's true. He was turned when he was just a teenager by a vampire who wanted to use him to control Egypt, dumb idiot didn't figure on a mere fledgling (1) being able kick his ass and shove a stake through his chest. That's when his life, or rather life after death, began. Fate has a lot in store for him, but, of course, he's not alone in Fate's game.  
  
The next is Joey Wheeler, he's, well I don't know how to describe him except, wild and carefree. He also has a bit of an attitude problem, which more often than not gets him into deep shit, which the others sometimes have to help him out of. I'm not saying he's weak, sure he's the youngest, but he's powerful in his own right, he just has a temper that tends to cause trouble for him and the others. He was turned a few decades after Yami was turned, and they became friends. Joey is not his real name, obviously, he just goes by it and I don't think any one knows his real name, even him. He got into a fight one night and would have died, but luckily for him Fate had other plans for him and deemed him worthy of another chance at life, so he was turned. Now he's part of the most feared team of vampires around.  
  
The last, but most definitely not least, of the Shadows is Bakura, like Yami it's just Bakura. Most would say he's the most feared of the three, which is more true than not but he's not the oldest, which you may have already guessed, he's in the middle. He has the face, as most would describe, of a fallen angel but don't let his looks fool you as others have been; he is one tough son of a bitch. He is the coldest of the three and the most likely to kill without remorse, but that's probably due to the fact that he's had a rough life, before and after he was turned. He was turned, about two years after Yami, by the vampire who killed his parents in front of him! Sound familiar? Well, he was forced to fend for himself and became a thief, a damn good one at that. One day he ran into the vampire who killed his family and he tried to kill him, bad move. He was almost killed, but like Joey, he was given another chance and was turned, by none other than Yami. He later saved a teen with blonde hair. Any guesses who? Yep, it was Joey, so as you can see the three are tied together by blood, and a strong bond of what could be called, but would be strongly denied by Bakura, as friendship.  
  
The three became known as the Shadows in the years that followed their turning, and their powers grew and exceeded most of the ancients in mere centuries. Both vampires and hunters alike feared them and many have tried to eliminate them through the year, that's probably why they don't trust anyone. However, they will have to get over their suspicions whether they like it or not, 'cause Fate wont have it any other way, and Fate's the boss in this story.  
  
to be continued  
  
1. A fledgling is a newly turned vampire.  
  
tiger: *turns to Yami, Yami Bakura and Joey* happy? you were all mentioned. Yami Bakura: i am content. *mumbles under breath* could have been longer though, lazy. tiger: *raised eyebrow* what? Yami: what are you complaining about? yours is the longest out of all of us. Yami Bakura: cause i'm her favourite!! ^_^ !! *sticks tongue out* Joey: i liked your description of me tiger: really? *glomps Joey* thank you!!! Yami Bakura: does this mean you wont be killing him? tiger: yep! Yami and Yami Bakura: damn!  
  
!!please review!!  
  
ALSO ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR LAST NAMES ARE WELCOMED *SEE A.N. FOR FURTHER INFO* 


	7. Chapter 5: Missions

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I do not own. Nuh uh *shakes head* But I wish I did. Don't make money off this either. Then why do I bother writing if I don't make money? Ryou: *pops out of nowhere* 'Cause you enjoy torturing the Yamis? Bakura: *also pops out of nowhere* You don't enjoy torturing me do you? *gives puppy dog eyes* tiger: No.....but it's so much fun! ^_^  
  
Warning: This fic contains slash! You all know what that means, right? If not it means male/male pairings, so continue at your own risk!  
  
A.N. Okay people I was just reading through my intro for the Shadows and I realized that I made a mistake in Bakura's intro on how he became a vamp. First I said that the vamp that killed his parents turned him - then I said that Yami turned him! I kinda confused myself there when reading it so now I wish to clarify it, and hopefully re-edit that chapter! Bakura's parents were killed by a vampire in front of him - YES! That is true. However, that vampire was not the one that turned him - it was Yami. Okay? I hope that clears it up! Oh and the Shadows will be appearing in this chap so let me clear it up Ryou - Ryou, Yami Bakura - Bakura. I also still ask for any ideas for last names, and this is the LAST time 'cause I think I'll use the Shadows in the next one as well.  
  
In this chapter four years have passed since the death of Seto and Yugi's parents and the disappearance of Mokuba. The Lights are now 17 years old and their skills as hunters have grown along with their deadly reputation. The Vampires around the world have begun to realize the danger the three represent to their race and move to eliminate the threat.  
  
Chapter Five: Missions  
  
The three young men walked along the sidewalk in the silence of the night. If anyone had been around to see this they would have wondered what the three had been up to, however, the only life that moved on the streets were feral animals who have been abandoned by their owners, and the homeless people whom society have turned their backs to. Those few humans tried their hardest to disappear into the shadows; they knew there was more in the night than most people knew of, things that killed without remorse. The three knew of these things as well, although they were not homeless, they lived in an old Victorian home together, they knew; and that was what they had come to this place for.  
  
Ryou wore a long, black trench coat, which was uniform with the three, dark jeans with boots and a black shirt. Seto wore a dark green shirt and dark blue, almost black, jeans with boots under his dark blue trench coat. Yugi, being a bit shorter than the others, wore a slightly smaller trench coat of a dark grey, with light blue jeans rolled up at the hem, a grey shirt and black running shoes. They were hunting like the stray cats that would sometimes run by; however they were hunting something larger than rats, but to the three what they were hunting was by far worse than rats. This was their self assigned missions, to hunt and kill all of the undead that they could.  
  
Seto suddenly stopped, then began to run the others following him easily through the dark alleys. "What did you hear?" asked Ryou as he jumped over an over-turned garbage can. "A scream." was his reply. They continued to run and suddenly stopped at a lot, as the smell of death reached their noses and the sight of a small body on the pavement came into view. "Shit!" snarled Ryou, knowing that they were too late; another victim had just been added to the ever-expanding list of mysterious deaths in the area. "He's still here." said Yugi looking around the abandoned lot. The others tensed, their senses expanding to easily pick up the slightest disturbance in the air, as they surveyed their surroundings looking for the demon that had caused this death.  
  
"So it's true, the three Lights are nothing but children." snarled a voice from the darkness, the sound echoing in the lot. "Show yourself." Seto ordered his ice blue eyes moving slowly across the shadows. "Well if I did that I'd be as good as dead, not to mention incredibly stupid, wouldn't I?" mocked the voice, the sarcasm dripping from the sweet tones. The vampire was confident that the reputation of the Lights was nothing but rumours. Surely these three whelps couldn't do what they were reputed of being able to do. The Ancients (1) were being too paranoid, was his thinking, and that he could kill the three easily without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately for him, he had been too busy with his thoughts to notice that the small spike haired one of the group had disappeared from his sights. Before he knew what had happened Yugi had already driven the stake through his chest and his precious blood was pouring through his fingers even as he attempted to stop the flow.  
  
"You really shouldn't underestimate your opponents," said Seto looking at the figure as he fell due to lack of blood and the poison of the wood coursing through his veins, "It'll get you killed. Actually it already did, didn't it?" he asked his eyes cold as he stared the vampire in the eyes. "This is for all those you've killed in this century and the ones that have come before." said Ryou quietly, his eyes hard as the body twitched one last time and seemed to disappear into the air. "What'll we do with her?" asked Yugi quietly looking sadly at the young body on the concrete. A life had just been cut painfully short, and not even for food but for enjoyment, this was evident to the three with the smell of human blood in the damp air surrounding them.  
  
"We can't do anything," said Ryou, "If we touch anything, it might give them a clue to tracking us. Even more would be killed then." The short young man hung his head in defeat knowing that even in death the vampire had control over their lives. "When will it end?" Yugi asked his companions in the silence, "When will they stop the pain they cause in the world? When will we be able to reclaim the life that was taken from us? Don't they realize that their actions affect everyone, including their own race?" Seto knew the pain that his brother felt, he too felt it, and he knew that Ryou held the same pain in his heart as well. "We can't stop Yugi." he said in a gentle voice, "We can stop hunting, yes, but you know as well as I do that if we stop we will never be able to live our lives in peace. We know too much of the shadows that are present in this world to be able to fully live in the light."  
  
Ryou looked at his two friends, his only family, the ones he trusted with his life every night they left to hunt, and as always he felt guilt in his heart. He knew that they were here because of him, because he had come into their lives and dragged them into this secret war. "This is a mission that few are given, and even fewer accept. I chose this path to avenge my family, and I have killed more in my years than some soldiers will in their lifetimes. I have killed both vampires and humans a like, maybe not by my hands but by existing, by hunting. The two of you did not willingly throw yourselves into this fight, I dragged you in, for that I will never forgive myself." said Ryou startling his friends who tried to protest, only to be cut off, "I know you both have given me your forgiveness, and I thank you. But I promise, somehow, someday I will return to you the lives that was taken from you because of my actions." Yugi went over to Ryou and put a hand on his arm and smiled gently. "We chose our own paths, Ryou, and you guided us when we needed you, you owe us nothing. If it wasn't for you Seto and I would be dead long ago." "Yugi is right," Seto inserted turning to look up at the full moon, "We chose out own paths, and we have accepted all consequences with our choice. Like you said, few are chosen and few accept. This is our mission and no matter what we will finish it, together." With this the three turned away and headed for home, knowing that even though they were not able to save one, maybe, just maybe, they were able to save another.  
  
"Gentlemen, welcome." purred the soft voice in the shadowed room, "Just in time too, as always." "Cut the crap. What the hell did you call us for?" asked a deep smooth voice [1], the owners fist clenching as their host laughed. "Such impatience, you haven't changed one bit." "Just answer the question, we don't have all night." snapped another voice [2] this one slightly more rough than the first. "Hello, to you too. And how have you been?" the voice asked sarcastically. "Look, you requested our presence and we came. Now would you mind telling us what we're here for?" yet another voice [3] asked this one more relaxed, but tension was still discernable in the tone. "You'll all find out in due time, after all we have all night. You three have fed, right?" the host asked teasingly. "Just tell us what the fuck we're here for, so we can leave. How's that for a plan." the second voice snapped it's owner holding the host by the throat adding pressure. "Calm down, and take a seat." said the host easily finally released as the other two held their companion. "Alright I'll tell you. You three are the best of all of us, you've killed more of those pests than any other team." "What's your point? And you've better hurry, I'm getting bored." the first voice warned dangerously. "My point is that you three are the best for this little hunt I have planned." "What hunt?" asked the third voice. "The hunt of a lifetime. I want you three, Yami, Bakura, Joey, to hunt the infamous Lights."  
  
to be continued  
  
1. Ancients are the really old and powerful vampires.  
  
tiger: well? well? you like? Ryou: i sound so grim. Yugi: me too. Seto: you still haven't told me where Mokuba is. tiger: patience, my dear, is a virtue. Seto: which i don't happen to own. tiger: you actually think i'll tell you? Seto: *sigh* no. but he better be okay Ryou: i don't like being so grim, i sound like my yami, and it's freaking me out. Yugi: don't you want to be more like your yami? Ryou: do i want o be more like yami......hhmmm..let me think....NO! would you want to be more like your yami? huh? well!? *gets crazed look in eyes* Yugi: *nervously* uumm... no? Ryou: i thought so! Seto: thank god i don't have a yami tiger: i could fix that for you, you know Seto: o_O NOOOO!!!  
  
!!please review!! 


	8. Chapter 6: Doppelgangers or New Students...

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh; I am just borrowing certain characters for my fic. Also, as I've addressed before, I am not making money off of this fic. Also I would like to thank those who suggested last names for Yami and Bakura, and I am sorry that I can only use two 'cause I had a hard time choosing, I'm very bad at making decisions. ^_^*  
  
Warning: This fic contains slash which means, yes, the pairings, well the important ones, are male/male. So if this kind of thing is not your cup o' Joe, do not read. Otherwise ENJOY!!! Oh and some characters will act totally OOC at some points so please bear with me, they act that way for the sake of the fic.  
  
A.N. Okay, let me explain the names, Ryou Bakura will be known as Ryou Hunter, and called Ryou. Yami Bakura will be referred to as Bakura. Yami Yugi will be called Yami. Okay? Everyone clear on that? Great now on with the fic!!  
  
A few weeks have passed since the Shadows received their 'mission' from their mysterious host. Yugi, Seto, and Ryou are in school, well they will be ^_^*  
  
Chapter Six: Doppelgangers or New Students?  
  
The teacher walked into the classroom to be greeted by the numerous rumours circulating among the student. 'How is it that they manage to find out about these sort of things so quickly, but when it comes to projects and assignments, they're all like chickens that have just had their heads cut off.' she thought going to her desk and calling for silence. When the class had finally settled enough for her to be heard she looked around the room and noticed three seats were empty, 'Wonder where those three are? They better not be late again, or they'll have to get more detentions.' she thought before finally speaking. "Alright class, since news seem to travel at light speed around here, I'm sure all of you already know that we have some new students joining us." she looked around to see the faces of her student convey various emotions from excitement to boredom. "Class let me introduce you to the new addition to our little community. Gentlemen." at her statement the door opened with a slam, to reveal, not new faces, but the familiar, if slightly harried and red, faces of Yugi, Seto and Ryou. The three looked around the class and noticing the looks they were receiving walked in embarrassed silence to their seats. "Gentlemen," the teacher said with a small frown, "Detention after school." The class snickered as the three groaned.  
  
"Way to go, Yugi." Seto whispered silently to his brother whose head was currently banging silently against his desk. "I wasn't my fault, Ryou didn't set his alarm clock." the short spike haired boy argued. "What? Why are you blaming me? I can't always be the one to wake you guys up you know, I have just as much right to sleep in as you two." Ryou argued back glaring at his friends, and housemates. "Well you always wake up first and drag the rest of us awake, can you blame us for relying on you to be our alarm clock?" asked Yugi, Seto no longer wanted to be part of the argument after catching some of the looks their classmates were throwing their way. It was common knowledge that the three lived together because they were all orphans and had inherited money from their parents and also happened to be best friends. Seto and Yugi received money from the Andersons after their deaths, and Ryou from his real parents. "Will you two stop it?" he whispered not wanting to attract the teacher's attention and add another afternoon of detention to the long list, "You guys can continue this during detention." "A good idea Mr. Kaiba, they can continue this in detention, and you can join them. And I have good news for the three of you," the teacher said suddenly, "You have the next three afternoons to continue your little debate." The class laughed as their classmates once again release pained groans. 'Damn!' the three thought together. "If you three are done I'd like to introduce our new students without further interferences." the teacher said with a glare at the trio. "Gentlemen, please come in."  
  
'Finally.' the class thought in frustration. The door opened once again to reveal the silhouettes of the new students. Yugi, Seto and Ryou were the only ones out of the class not paying much attention to the new comers; they were too busy thinking about their week of afternoon detention for such trivial matters. "Come on in you three." said the teacher smiling at them. As the group stepped through the door a gasp was emitted by the students, catching the three detentionees' (1) attention, along with that was the sound of scraping chairs as some student turned to stare from two of the new arrivals to two of their usually tardy classmates. 'What?' Seto asked himself, looking around the class, but not at the new students, Ryou and Yugi were currently doing the same thing. Finally he focused his ice blue eyes to the new students, and like the rest emitted a small gasp of surprise. "What the hell?!" he unwisely said out loud gaining another glare form the teacher. Ryou and Yugi turned to their friend with raised eyebrows at his exclamation, it was rare for him to lose control of his tongue, and unfortunately the two had still not looked at the new students. "Mr. Kaiba I suggest you not talk for the rest of the class unless the rest of your afternoons this month is free." warned the teacher, snapping the class out of their thoughts. "Yes, ma'am." Seto said in a monotone.  
  
"Now, as I've said numerous times already, let me introduce our new students. Joey Wheeler, Yami Taiyou (2), and Bakura Kageshi (3)." the teacher smiled at the new students and turned to the class, "Now I expect you all to welcome them, and to try and help them out with adjusting to this school. Got it?" The class nodded, some still stealing glances at their two classmates while looking at the new students. Seto sat, in silence, both because he did not want any more detentions and for the fact that two of the new students looked unerringly like his friends. He looked at Ryou and Yugi and noticed that the two had still not looked at the new students but were giving him strange looks. Wanting to explain, he began to gesture trying to make them look to the front of the class with, unfortunately, little success. The teacher began to speak once again and he looked back to the front. "Now, where shall the three of you sit?" she asked out loud, smiling as several girls offered seats next to themselves. "I know," she said, with a decidedly wicked smirk, "Yugi, Ryou, Seto as part of your detention, the three of you will be the guides for out new student. So naturally they can sit next to the three of you." several girls in the class sulked at her decision.  
  
Yugi and Ryou still had not looked at the new students even though Seto had been trying to make them understand him with his gestures, and the teacher's orders only caused the two to groan once again and put their heads on their desks, Seto sighed deeply in exasperation at his friends' density. 'Maybe we should have just skipped school today. They probably didn't get enough sleep.' he thought sardonically. The class shared similar thoughts with him; they all wondered how two of the smartest students, but not the smartest that was Seto, in the class could be so clueless of their surroundings. "Gentlemen, please take your seats." said the teacher with a gesture to the three. When they were seated she began her lesson, leaving Yugi, and Ryou still in their own little world and still unaware of what everyone was so surprised about. Luckily for them it was only and hour and a half left before lunch.  
  
Lunch came and the class rushed out to leave, with them was Seto, Ryou and Yugi, having forgotten about their charges during the teacher's 'stunning' rendition of Trench Warfare during WW1 (4). The three walked to their lockers and got what they needed and headed for the cafeteria, with Yugi and Ryou still arguing about whose fault it was they were late. "I feel like were forgetting something." said Ryou sitting down next to Seto and promptly stealing some baby carrots from the tall young man's lunch. "We have our notes for next period," said Yugi his small hands also making a beeline for his brother's lunch. "Don't even think about it." Seto threatened, he wouldn't be surprised at all if the two stole his whole lunch and ate their own, and still complain about being hungry. "Aw, come on Kai," Yugi whined giving his brother puppy dog eyes, "You let Ryou have some. Why not me?" "First off, I didn't let him have any, he punked them off of me." Seto said calmly, "Secondly, you have your own lunch, why do the two of you persist on eating mine everyday?" "'Cause you pack the best lunch." Ryou said with a grin before taking a bite out of his ham sandwich. At this the other two began their lunch, but not before Yugi stole some carrots from Seto, who just gave a small groan of exasperation.  
  
Meanwhile in another part of the school three figures were standing in the hallway arguing. "Where the hell is the stinkin' caf?" fumed one loudly. "Will you shut up, Joey? We don't need to call attention to ourselves." said his companion. "Well, forgive me, Yami, unlike you I would rather spend my lunch time elsewhere other than in the friggin' hallways. 'Sides aren't we supposed to have guides or somethin'." the blonde shot back angrily. Their companion merely watched with amused eyes and a small smirk. "Why don't we just use the maps (5) that we were given?" he said suddenly, startling his friends from their argument. "What map?" Joey asked in confusion. "This map." Bakura said, his smile widening as he showed his companions a piece of paper. It was the map of the entire building, and right there clearly marked on it, in legible writing, was the word Cafeteria. "You," growled Yami, advancing on the still grinning, soon to be dead friend, "Are going to be so sorry." But before he could say anything else Bakura had already taken off in the direction of the cafeteria.  
  
"Okay, next question," said Yugi, who was quizzing Ryou and Seto, "What was..." however, before he could finish one of their classmates walked up to their table. "Hey guys, where's the new students?" she asked smiling widely at Ryou, who tried his best to ignore her. "Who?" asked Yugi, confused. "What do you...Oh shit." Seto said paling, "We were supposed to guide those new student around, remember?" he informed the two, who also paled as the memories of the morning returned. "Great, just what we need more afternoons of detention." Ryou groaned, not remembering an afternoon in the last couple of weeks when they were actually let out with the other students at the end of the day. "Don't worry 'bout it. We wont tell." said a voice behind him startling the white haired young man, causing him to nearly fall out of the bench whose edge he was sitting on. Luckily someone caught him on time, and instead of falling on the hard floor he fell onto a warm body, with the owner's arms were holding him close. Although Ryou was usually calm and cool around others, this position caused him to turn crimson and to try standing quickly without success, as he kept on tripping on his own feet, which were tangled with the strangers, causing him to fall once again into the warm arms. "Sorry," he mumbled in embarrassment, as Seto finally helped him stand. "It's okay." said a slightly rough voice behind him. As he was about to turn to face the new students their classmate squealed in delight, causing them all to cringe.  
  
"Oh my gosh, you guys look so much alike! I cannot believe it; this morning I thought that maybe it was just because I wasn't wearing my glasses but now. You guys could pass as twins. Oh my gosh!" she gushed in high-pitched tones. Ryou finally turned to the new arrivals to came face to face with - himself? 'What the?' he thought his brown eyes widening as it met similar but different eyes, in a face so much like his own. "Who?" he asked in confusion looking at Seto and Yugi, only to find that Yugi had a similar expression on his face and was looking at someone behind Ryou's look alike. He turned once again to look at the other new students, and saw what caused Yugi's surprise. There standing slightly behind a tall blond guy was someone who could pass for Yugi, or at least Yugi's brother. He had the same spiked red - black hair and gold bangs as Yugi; but some gold were streaking straight up in his hair and he was slightly taller than Yugi, which wasn't saying much since Yugi wasn't that tall to begin with. "Talk about weird, huh?" the girl continued, "Are you two sure you guys aren't related? 'Cause it's either you guys have met your long lost twin brother or you've met your doppelgangers. Maybe you guys have lost family members out there, that you don't know about." she said laughing. "I'm certain that I don't have any relations to him." Ryou suddenly growled he did not enjoy being reminded about his family or lack thereof, especially by a girl who was trying to make a joke out of the fact that his family was all dead. The girl sensing his anger backed away slowly and left. "Twit." Ryou's look alike said in the silence.  
  
"Ryou, Yugi, since you guys weren't exactly paying attention this morning," said Seto to his brother and friend, who were still looking confused, "Let me introduce you guys to the new students. Joey Wheeler, Yami Taiyou, and Bakura Kageshi." he finished gesturing to each. "Hi, nice to meet you." said both still dazed. 'And here stands two of the feared Lights.' Seto thought with a shake of his head. "Sorry about the others," he apologized to the three, "They didn't get enough sleep last night. Please sit down." he gestured to the table where Yugi still sat in silence. "I'm Seto Kaiba, by the way, and my stunned and silent companions here are my brother, Yugi Moto and our friend Ryou Hunter." he introduced both indicating who was who. "Hello." said Yami and Bakura, both with small, almost identical, smiles on their faces. "Brothers? But I thought your last name was Kaiba and his Moto?" Joey asked in confusion. "We're adopted." Yugi explained out of reflex, snapping out of his stupor. "Then why didn't the two of you get your adoptive parents' last names?" Joey asked. "Joey, shut up." Yami said elbowing the blond, after seeing Yugi and Seto close up, their eyes darkening noticeably. "All right, geez, just curious." he snapped back. "Curiosity killed the cat." Ryou said unexpectedly, his tone dangerous and his eyes hard. 'Well, well, looks like the last Hunter grew up to be strong, even on his own.' thought Bakura who remained silent as the others began to cool down and talk.  
  
to be continued  
  
1. I was referring to Yugi, Seto and Ryou, and I know it probably isn't a word but they got so many detentions I just couldn't resist.  
  
2. Taiyou, is one of the last names suggested by Kelsey Bromage, who was nice enough to e-mail me a list of last name. It wasn't my first choice out of the list but the other one sounded funny to me, and when I asked my friend what she thought about that combination she laughed her head off, so I chose this one. Oh and according to Kelsey Taiyou means sun, I don't speak or know Japanese (I'm guessing this is Japanese) so I'm not sure about spelling or meaning. And lastly I would like to give Kelsey my thanks for her suggestions, which I might use for my future fics.  
  
3. Kageshi was suggested by someone who reviewed my story unfortunately she/he did not leave a name so I can't say/write his or her name. Kageshi, according to whoever, means shadow death, which sounded cool and appropriate for Bakura. I would like to thank whoever suggested this and hope that the review or e-mail me their name to me so I can thank them properly.  
  
4. In History class my teacher kinda re-enacted the Trench Warfare for the class, and he kept on making machine gun noises and other sound effects, I couldn't help almost laughing, I had to bite my tongue to keep quiet, but I kept on shaking I early fell off my chair. But on a serious note, I researched on Trench Warfare and it was one of the most horrific thing of war; men on both sides of all ages, lost years of their lives living in holes in the ground, with the rotting corpses of both their friends and enemies only a few feet away. Bombs, shrapnel, bullets flying around and gas attacks every few hours along with disease-infested rats scurrying around eating the dead bodies. Many died and those who lived had to continue on with the images of those things in their minds for the rest of their lives. In the books I read those years were often described by those who lived through the war as 'living in hell on earth.'  
  
5. Well in the school I go to in the first year (gr. 9) we get maps of the school, to help us get to class on time, unfortunately it doesn't always help.  
  
tiger: phew! that was looong. to me anyway.  
  
Ryou: *pout* i sounded totally out of character and like i left my brain at home or something. i feel so insulted. i better be back in character next chapter!  
  
tiger: don't worry about it geesh. 'sides i warned you guys in the beginning. and don't tell me you didn't like this chapter, you guys finally met the Shadows.  
  
Seto: why do i have to work with these two? *points to Ryou and Yugi* they got me a week's worth of detention, and they have the attention span of flies.  
  
tiger: 'cause i wrote so. ^_^  
  
Bakura: i liked it. although i must also complain that my companions are..... how do i phrase it? dimwitted? airheaded? i mean we had maps and they waste nearly half of our lunch arguing and getting lost in that stupid building!  
  
Yami: excuse me? why are you complaining about us when you could have told us about the stupid map in the first place. instead of standing there watching us fight.  
  
tiger: stop! *smacks both yamis upside the head* now tell me Bakura, why did you like it? Bakura: *blushes and mumbles something under his breath* 'cause.  
  
tiger: well, come on tell me.  
  
Bakura: *whispers in tiger's ears while looking around for eavesdroppers*  
  
tiger: hehehe oh that's why.  
  
Ryou: what? *has cute confused look on face*  
  
tiger: c'mere *pulls Ryou down and whispers in his ears*  
  
Ryou: *blushing wildly* oh oh my! hehe *smiles at Bakura* ^_^ Bakura: uummm....ahem.... -'.'-  
  
!!please review!! 


	9. Chapter 7: Shadows From the Past

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, I am only borrowing some of the characters for this fic.  
  
Warning: This is a slash fic; you all know what that means. This fic is also an AU, and some people will be OOC. Also I am going to type this differently that the others before, Mejika suggested that I start a new paragraph when someone is talking to make it easier to read. I will be trying this out for this and hopefully it will work out well so that when people read the story it will be easier for them, however, because of this the chapters will seem longer (to me at least).  
  
A.N. Ryou Bakura - Ryou Hunter, Yami Bakura - Bakura Kageshi, Yami Yugi - Yami Taiyou. Seto and Yugi are ADOPTIVE brothers and will refer to each other as brother.  
  
Three months have passed since the Shadows and the Lights have met. The six have become friends, but not what you would call best friends in some cases.  
  
Chapter Seven: Shadows From the Past  
  
The three figures stalked the shadow that moved through the dark alleys as silent as the wind that whispered in the night. They were, as always, hunting a killer. This time was no exception, the vampire had killed at least ten people in the month since he had arrived in the city, and that was only counting the bodies that were actually found. By the number and the way of the kills, the three could tell that most of them was done not for the need to feed but for the joy of the kill; the high that the fear and pain the victim felt as the vampire drained them dry, tortured them, provided the killer. This vampire was a true killer who enjoyed what they did, and tried to prolong the agony of the moment as long as possible. The three finally cornered the vampire in an abandoned building after nearly twenty minutes of running. The dark figure turned to the three with a hiss and a bearing of fangs.  
  
"Give it up, we have you surrounded." Seto warned the vampire who was still hissing with hatred.  
  
"You pathetic weaklings have no idea what you're up against," it hissed at the three, "There are thousands of us, and our numbers continue to increase every day. You humans would not even know of us if not for the change the bloodlust brings about at night, and even that can be controlled."  
  
Ryou looked at the vampire with contempt. He knew that what this creature was saying was the truth, the vampires were gaining both in power and numbers daily. He was also aware that not a lot could kill them, most of human myths were just that - myths. One of the only true things was that wood kills vampires by poisoning their blood; vampires could go out into the sun without fear and could wear a cross if they so desired. He had learned all these things early on, by trial and error; most of the error almost cost him his life. Luckily something always seemed to watch over him. The white haired young man shook his head and focused again on the creature standing in front of them.  
  
"That's what we're here for." said Yugi advancing, "It doesn't matter if your kind outnumbers us, we will destroy as many of your accursed kind as we can." His face was a hard mask of anger, he had seen the photos of the bodies when Seto had hacked into the police files, and what he had seen made him sick. This thing standing in front of them was truly a heartless monster, one that had given up his soul without regret.  
  
"You are apparently not only pathetic but also greatly disillusioned to believe that you have even a chance. We know more about you than you'd think, Lights," the vampire mocked giving the three a grotesque parody of a smile. "Wouldn't you agree, young Hunter?" he asked suddenly focusing on Ryou.  
  
"Stay the fuck out of my head." Ryou snarled blocking his thoughts from the creature, feeling the tentacles of the vampire's compulsion prodding his mental defenses.  
  
"Tut, tut, such language. What would your beautiful mother think if she heard such vulgar words coming from her precious little light." the vampire mocked his grin widening as Ryou stiffed, "I was there you know. I saw it all, you were a really cute kid, and nothing has changed. Your father tried his hardest to protect his little family, he didn't last long, and then came your mother. I have to say you got your looks from her she didn't last long either. You would have been dessert but someone felt it necessary to interfere." the monster laughed loudly seeing the pain in the teen's eyes.  
  
Yugi lunged forward in anger but was stopped by Seto, who just shook his head. "If you kill out of anger and enjoy it, you'll be no better than that." he said eyeing the vampire with contempt.  
  
"Oh I'm so wounded," the vampire sneered at Seto, "You know nothing of our kind, human, or of our hunters." the vampire smiled his eyes glowing embers in the dark.  
  
"We know about your hunters," said Seto, "And trust me they are not something to brag about. Some of them didn't even last as long as you and they were running most of the time." This proved to work against the vampire who's smile disappeared quickly to be replaced by a snarl.  
  
"Those fools weren't hunters they were fledglings trying prove something." it snarled, "Just wait, the real hunters have already been called. And don't worry these ones will be a challenge I guarantee it. Tell me have you Lights heard of the Shadows?" the vampire smiled again as Ryou's head snapped up his eyes flashing. "Guess you have, huh? Well I'm sure you'll meet them face to face soon enough."  
  
Ryou stood still the news ringing through his head. 'The Shadows, the ancients must really be worried to send them after us.' he thought to himself, 'I better warn the others.' "Enough of your stalling, it's time." Ryou said out loud, his voice emotionless. Moving forward swiftly the white haired young man embedded his stake deeply into the vampire's chest. However, unlike the others this vampire did not scream, instead he just smiled, a smile that promised retribution, as his body disappeared into the wind.  
  
"Let's go home." Ryou said his voice tired, but it could not even hint at the weariness in his eyes, and in the eyes of his companions. They were only 17 years old, not yet adults, but they had seen things that not even the worst nightmare an adult could have could compare with. They had learned things that were known to few, and mastered techniques of killing considered far too advanced for their age, but these things were a necessary for them to survive as hunters.  
  
The three arrived at the front of an old Victorian house and slowly made their way down the stone path leading to the wooden porch and the entrance. It would seem strange seeing three teens living in a house by themselves without an adult guardian, but it had become a necessity with the three, just as their skills were, to be able to live without the constant questioning of adults. Three years ago they had gone to court and were able to convince the judge that they were able to take care of themselves and so they were now recognized by the law as responsible teens and were considered adults in all sense (1). They had bought the house with the money left to Ryou by his parents and the money left to Seto and Yugi by the Andersons after their deaths. The Andersons had left their house to Seto and Yugi but there were too many memories in that house so the three had opted to buy a new house, one without painful memories. They had found the house a few months after they met with the judge and had bought it and had made a home living with each other as a family.  
  
The entered the house and each went to their room to change, all knowing that none of them would sleep until some things were cleared up. Fifteen minutes later they each made their way to the living room and sat saying nothing. Ryou sat on the couch with Yugi while Seto sat by himself, in an armchair, across from the other two. Each was lost in their thoughts, each questioning what they had learned and how they were to survive this new threat. While Seto and Yugi had not hunted as long as Ryou had they had learned a lot since they began and from what little they had heard of the Shadows they were powerful and possibly the most dangerous of their kind. Along with that was that they had killed more hunters them any other vampire, even entire armies of vampires were not as effective at killing as these Shadows were.  
  
"Do you think that guy was serious?" asked Yugi, looking at his companions, "I mean, if these Shadows are as deadly as we've heard then shouldn't there be more killings, and I'm sure we would've heard something about them sooner."  
  
"We can't be sure if he was telling the truth, but we can't take any chances." replied Seto with a frown, his blue eyes cold as ice. "He could very well have been lying, but we have been a problem for the vampires for years now, maybe the Ancients have had enough. Ryou can you tell us more about the Shadows?" Seto asked their companion who had remained silent, lost in thoughts of his past memories that had been forced out with the vampire's words.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, let me think." Ryou said looking up at the tall brunet, "I don't know much about them, nobody does, and I've never personally met them. Which is probably a good thing, from their reputation I gather that they are three of the most powerful ancients in the world and the best killers the vampires have. Whole armies could not compete with them nor could they kill as effectively." He continued Seto and Yugi remained silent allowing the white haired young man to continue without interruptions. "I've never heard of anyone who faced them and survived, or of anyone coming close to killing them, they're believed to be indestructible. Their own kind fear them and avoid them as if they were plagues. A hunter once told me that they stay together because they've hunted with each other since they were made and share a blood bond."  
  
"But I thought that vampires generally never exchange blood with their kind because they trusted no one?" Seto voiced with a frown, his ice blue eyes questioning.  
  
"I know that's another unusual thing about them. I was also told that they were young, not like the usual vampires, who are around their mid to late twenties, they're teens. One of them is acknowledged as the 'leader' and he's supposedly the oldest, and is said to be cold as ice, not to mention dangerous as hell; the youngest is not as bad as the other two but he's just as capable of great destruction. However, they aren't the most dangerous by reputation, that's reserved for the second oldest. He isn't like the leader or the youngest; he's volatile - cold as ice one minute and like fire the next. Some have said that he doesn't have to acknowledge the oldest as leader but no one knows why he does it anyway. They're all powerful, mentally and physically, and have gained many skills through the centuries." Ryou went on his eyes dark with the knowledge that their chances of living through this new threat were not in their favour. "I know I'm making them sound like the ultimate killers, and I can't help but think that they might very well be. I also can't help but think that we may not be able to beat them, no one who have come before us have."  
  
"Don't worry Ryou, we've gotten through worse, we'll get through this too. We'll find a way." Yugi said quietly, his violet eyes shadowed. Out of the three he was the most open and seemingly innocent, but he had lived through the same things as both Seto and Ryou had and he held just as much knowledge of the dark things in life as his brother and friend, as well as the pain that could be felt in life. "We have too, we still haven't finished our missions, remember?" he asked smiling slightly at his companions.  
  
"Yugi's right," Seto agreed smiling as well before turning to Ryou, "Going back to these Shadows, do you know anything other than rumours about them?" he asked intently receiving a negative response, "Shit! Do you know anyone who might know more about them, like their names?" once again the tall young man received a negative answer from his friend.  
  
"Few vampires know their actual names, most just refer to them as the Shadows, and most try to avoid them. There's something else that I haven't told you about them; it's that they have hunted and killed their kind before, without hesitation, and they will more than likely do so again." Ryou revealed the information slowly, already guessing the reactions he would receive.  
  
"They kill their own kind? What kind of creature would do that?" asked Yugi horrified, he knew that vampires generally stayed away from each other because they were territorial and that they would kill one another for the smallest of reasons, but to actively hunt down your own kind and to kill them. Even for vampires that was low.  
  
Seto had a similar reaction as his brother, but was less disturbed by the thought, "Guess they're doing us some good, at least." he muttered, "But, shit, that's pretty fuckin' messed up, even from those monsters. More reason for us to kill them." he murmured smirking a little before adding, "Maybe that's why they were sent to kill us, either way whoever put them up to this gets rid of killers."  
  
"Maybe, but that doesn't matter. We have to find a way to find them before they find us." said Yugi logically.  
  
"We'll think of something, don't worry." said Seto standing and stretching his tall frame before turning to the others, "Right now I think we should get some sleep. We'll figure out what to do tomorrow, after we get some rest." The other two nodded in agreement, Yugi yawning as he trudged up the stairs towards his room Seto and Ryou following.  
  
"G'night Kai, Ryou." the violet eyed young man said before his door closed. Seto and Ryou gave each other a nod before both entered their own room and the house was silent.  
  
Ryou sat on his bed, the moonlight filtering through his window, thinking of the night's event. 'Mother,' he thought, 'I'm getting closer to fulfilling my mission. Soon, soon I will finally avenge you and Father, I promise. Nothing will stop me, not even the Shadows.' With this final thought the young man, the last of his blood, closed his eyes and slept and familiar dreams began once again, memories of the past that followed him; shadows that haunted him and comforted him.  
  
"Who are you?" asked the little boy looking up at his savior, "A shadow, little light, just a shadow watching over you." the voice answered from the darkness.  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: hehehehehehehe  
  
Seto: okay who gave her sugar again? -_-*  
  
tiger: not sugar! hehehe *starts to dance around wildly*  
  
Yami Bakura: who forgot to give her her medication again?  
  
tiger: hey! i'm off of that remember? 'side's you guys are ruinin' my happy moment. Yami: uhhuh, sssuuuuurrreee  
  
Ryou: she's just really really really REALLY happy  
  
Yami Bakura: why did she finally get tekken 4  
  
tiger: nope, but soon when I find it, I WILL GET IT!!! mwuahahahahaha!!!! it shall be mine!!! Seto: way to go, remind her about it again!  
  
Yami Bakura: sorry ^_^* hehe  
  
Yami: okay, enough, why are you so hyper?  
  
tiger: someone put me i their favourite author list ^________^ god i was so surprised i almost fainted. THANK YOU SO MUCH GEGE-KAT!!!! oh god i'm gonna cry, someone hand me a kleenex! Ryou: tiger would also like to thank all those who have reviewed, she would personally do it but she's having a 'moment' right now  
  
tiger: thank you!!! *sniffsniff*  
  
Yugi: there, there we know how happy you are. *pats tiger on shoulder*  
  
!!please review!! 


	10. Chapter 8: Group Work

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, please don't sue me 'cause I quit my job so I don't got any money.  
  
Warning: This is slash, which means that it is m/m pairings. Some characters are also OOC and this is an AU. You've all been warned.  
  
A.N. Ryou Bakura - Ryou Hunter, Yami Bakura -Bakura Kageshi, Yami Yugi - Yami Taiyou. Seto Kaiba - may be referred to as Kai; also he and Yugi are ADOPTIVE brothers, and will usually refer to each other as such.  
  
The next day. *tiger: i know it's short, usually i have a mini paragraph here but what can i say - it IS the next day*  
  
Chapter Eight: Group Work  
  
Seto, Yugi and Ryou entered the classroom minutes before the bell rang and made their way to their desks. The room was, as expected, in chaos as students talked, whispered, yelled or rushed to finish their homework. Few noticed the entrance of the three and even fewer noticed the other set of trio sitting at the back of the room.  
  
"Will you guys look at 'em all," Joey muttered, "How the hell are we supposed to find three hunters from all these humans? I mean, ya, we're the best hunters they got but for cryin' out loud you'd think he'd give us a clue. But nooo make it difficult for us, why not? Not like I can't rip his friggin' heart out without even tryin'." The blond continued to complain to his companions his caramel eyes roaming the room, until his sight landed on three figures a few desks in front of their own. "Hey, your twins have arrived." he commented knowing how much it annoyed his friends.  
  
"Will you shut up?" snapped Bakura; his crimson tinted brown eyes seemingly glowed with an unnatural light.  
  
"Easy Bakura, you're losing control." said the cool voice of Yami who noticed the slight change in his companion's aura. "We don't know who we're looking for, giving them a warning is not in our favour at the time being." he warned, receiving a growled response from the white haired vampire.  
  
'Who said I don't already know who we're looking for.' thought Bakura closing his eyes and breathing deeply. He had known exactly who their target was the moment they had entered the classroom three months before, well, one of them, in any case. However, he wasn't stupid, if he was he never would have survived for as long as he had, he had already guessed that the two the young Hunter was always with was the other two of the three Lights they were searching for. This information he planned to keep to himself for the time being. 'I promised to protect you, little Light, and I will. Unfortunately they've sent out their best to hunt you down - me.' the grim thought went through his head causing his eyes to darken in determination.  
  
Yami's attention had shifted from his brooding friend to the small violet-eyed teen who sat in the front, turned around talking animatedly to his tall silent companion. Although he showed little interest to his small look-a-like he was far from indifferent. Never in all his years had he ever seen anyone who resembled him as much as this young human, this fact intrigued the crimson eyed vampire immensely. His double was not the only one that interested him, however, the tall brunet had also caught his interest with his cold and aloof attitude with everyone but his two companions. His ice blue eyes showed nothing of his emotions, but his intelligence shone through along with his apparent protectiveness of his brother and friend. His attention shifted back to his small double when he gave a small giggle, causing the brunet to smile. 'Maybe that boy is him, but that would mean that -' Yami's train of thought was interrupted with the entrance of the teacher who immediately called attention to the class like a general to her troops.  
  
"Alright, silence in the ranks people!" she said, "Get in your seats now, and for those of you trying to finish your homework," her smirk appeared, "There's no need I've changed my mind and have decided not to collect them." she finished causing several students to groan, and others to snicker. "Okay, with that finished I want you all to get into groups of three, and only three." she instructed eyes several girls who were already grouping of into fours. In the following minutes all that was heard was the shuffling of students.  
  
Yugi turned and smiled at his brother, who gave a barely perceptible nod, and then turned to Ryou who sat next to Seto. Ryou smiled back and moved his chair next to Seto's desk, to show the female population of the class that they were already in a group. Unfortunately one girl did not seem to get the hint and walked towards Ryou with a smile, causing his to give a silent sigh, before he moved his chair closer to the tall young man who gave a warning frown to the girl. She quickly got the silent message and move on her shoulders slightly slumped.  
  
"It's a good thing that Seto's perfected his scowl Ryou, or else she would have gotten you by now." Yugi said laughing at his friend's expression of annoyance. Yugi, along with most of the class, had known that the girl had been after Ryou since he moved to the school, while Ryou had been trying his hardest to avoid her. Luckily for Ryou, after she had broken into his locker and pasted hearts all over it Seto had began warning her off of his friend, and the girl had surprisingly shown some sense and had stayed away whenever Seto was around.  
  
"When is she going to get it through her head that I'm not interested." grumbled Ryou turning to Seto, "Thanks Kai." He gave the brunet a small smile, who gave nod in response, before they turned their attention to the teacher who had begun to talk again.  
  
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I've asked you to get in groups of three and I'll explain everything, after you all get a number." With that she began to hand out random pieces of paper. Seto received the paper and showed the other, they had gotten 3.  
  
"Lucky number." he said with a small smirk as the teacher began to speak once again.  
  
"Okay now that you all have numbers, I will begin to call out the numbers and the two groups with the same number will be working together in a group project." She began to call out numbers. Finally getting to theirs, Seto raised his hand and Yugi looked around not seeing anyone else's hand up.  
  
"Who else has number three?" the teacher asked her voice raised.  
  
"Oh hey, that's us Miss!" exclaimed a voice the back of the room calling the entire class' attention to the trio, two of whom looked as if they couldn't care less.  
  
"Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Taiyou, Mr. Kageshi, I suggest you all start paying attention, or I might be tempted to move you all up next to my desk." with that said she continued calling out numbers.  
  
"Come on you guys we have to move back there since they don't seem to want to." said Yugi to the other group members gesturing to where Yami and the others sat. He stood and picked up his notebook and a pen, Ryou followed with a notebook and a mechanical pencil with an eraser, and Seto followed the two bringing a notebook pen, mechanical pencil, spare lead and an eraser.  
  
By the time that they had reached the other three the teacher had finished calling out the numbers, since there wasn't that many students in the class, and was in the process of explaining to the class why she had grouped them.  
  
"Okay, as I'm sure you're all curious as to why you are in these groups, allow me to explain." she began, pacing in front of the class as she spoke. "These groups are the ones that you will all be in for your next and biggest group work of the year. Each group will be required to research on a mythical or legendary creature, and will hand in to me a very, and I mean very, detailed research paper on the topic. The groups will then give a presentation to the class on their topic. Does everyone understand?" she asked before continuing again, "I will give more information to you all tomorrow but today your groups must pick a topic by the end of class or I will be assigning the topic. That's all you may talk among yourselves and just raise your hands if any of you have questions." With that said a hum began in the classroom as the groups began to think up of topic, or as in the case of most of the students gossip and talk about unrelated topics.  
  
"So what should we do?" Yugi asked smiling as he turned to the group. No one voiced an opinion, as each member was lost in deep thought. The silence continued for another moment before Yugi tried once again to get the others to speak. "I think we should do something that is different, something that no one would think of." he said slightly louder, finally getting the group's attention.  
  
"How about Dragons?" asked Ryou wanting to pick a topic quickly in case someone thought of the topic that had entered his mind the moment the teacher had explained the assignment.  
  
"Good idea!" exclaimed Yugi glad that at least someone was listening, and not zoning out like some of the other students. "That'll be an easy topic and I'm sure we can find a lot of information on it." he said optimistically.  
  
"That's probably why that group has already chosen it." a voiced interrupted, causing the two to turn to Bakura who gestured to the groups near the front of the class. This made the Lights raise their eyebrows at the white haired young man's fantastic hearing. Yami on the other hand was not as impressed.  
  
"How can you be sure Bakura? Unless you can read lips, and I know you can't, you can't be sure now can you?" the spike haired ancient growled, "After all they are all the way across the room so you couldn't have heard them." he ground out emphasizing across, his crimson eyes giving a silent warning, which was answered with an amused smirk.  
  
"I don't know how I could possibly have heard them, you highness, maybe it's my superb hearing." Bakura replied grinning as the elder vampire gave a silent snarl that was only seen by Joey and himself.  
  
Joey seeing that his friends were extremely close to taking each other on right there and then thought it best to intervene and said, "Okay so dragons are out, how about werewolves? They're mythical and legendary and we could find a lot of info on them too." This took the attention off of his two friends.  
  
"Hey, yeah." agreed Yugi, "And don't you have a book on werewolves at home Ryou?" he asked his white haired friend, who shook his head in response.  
  
"It isn't mine Yugi," Ryou said smiling, "It's Seto's he leant it to me when I was bored and had nothing to do. It's actually very good, and I think werewolves would be a good subject to research. What do you think Kai?" he asked the tall brunet who had remained silent throughout most of the class so far.  
  
"I think it would be an interesting topic to find out more about, Ryou." Seto answered turning to the slightly smaller young man before he once again looked down at what he was previously doing.  
  
"So it's decided we'll do werewolves," said Joey turning to Bakura and Yami who were still glaring at each other, well Yami was glaring and Bakura was just provoking him. "See how easy that was? You two need to learn how to cooperate with each other." he said to the two crossing his arms across his chest, and closing his eyes trying to look philosophical. Bakura looked at him for a moment before he began to laugh, causing the blond to open his eyes in a glare. "What's so funny 'Kura?" he asked using the shortened version of the other's name, which he knew annoyed his friend immensely.  
  
His use of the other's name, however, also got a reaction from Ryou, who flinched slightly at the mention of the name, feeling as if he had heard it many times before. A feeling that was like a forgotten memory trying to be remembered.  
  
"'Kura, can you come visit again soon?" asked a soft voice, the child's face turned towards the shadows in his room. "Of course little light, I will, but you must rest now. " answered an amused voice as the young boy insisted that he wasn't tired yet as he yawned. "Yes you are, now go to sleep. I promise I'll visit you again soon, and that I'll be watching over you." the voice assured the child as the youth's brown eyes slowly closed, "Sleep well, little light." whispered the voice before the figure in the shadows disappeared.  
  
"Ryou, you okay?" asked Yugi in concern as his friend shook his head trying to remember whether it had been a memory from long ago or the dreams of a lonely little boy longing for a companion.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine Yugi, no need to worry." he assured the shorter young man before turning his attention to the teacher who was once again talking.  
  
"Okay, I'm assuming that all groups have their topics." she said glaring as some groups looked at each other in worry. "I will call the groups by number and someone just say the topic." She then began to once again call the numbers and all was well, until the second group announced their chose topic - werewolves.  
  
At this Yugi groaned and silently hoped for a miracle, unfortunately for the small teen his wish was not to be granted, as the teacher called their number and impatiently asked for their topic. As he was about to open his mouth to reply someone spoke out surprising everyone in the group including the speaker himself.  
  
"We'll do vampires." Seto said calmly even though his mind screamed at him to take it back to choose another topic, any other topic. Unfortunately the teacher had already moved on to the next group and they were stuck with what they had. However, as luck would have it the bell rang giving the tall brunet a reprieve before having to explain why he had chosen the particular topic.  
  
That lunch the three sat at a table together as usual but instead of the regular friendly banter there was silence between the three friends.  
  
"I'm sorry I don't know why I said that." Seto said quietly, looking at his lunch his appetite lost. "I hadn't meant to even say anything, it just came out. Forgive me."  
  
Yugi looked at his brother, whose expression was even colder than normal and knew why his brother had been so quiet. "It's okay Kai, we both had to face this someday. We both knew that."  
  
Ryou also remained quiet; he too knew the reason for Seto's silence, and with the thought came the same guilt that had always accompanied it. Four years ago a vampire had entered the home of the Andersons and had killed them and taken the younger Kaiba brother, four years ago Seto Kaiba and Yugi Moto had found out the secret of the last of the Hunter in existence, and in doing so stepped into the world of shadows, never to be able to fully step into the light ever again. "I'm sorry." he said in the silence of the table, "I'm so truly sorry." sorrow resonated in the four whispered words.  
  
"We said it before and we'll say it again. You have nothing to be sorry for." said Seto. "We chose our paths, Ryou, you guided us and helped us. For that we can say nothing but thank you."  
  
"He's right Ryou, we're a team now. You shouldn't blame yourself for something that was not your fault. Mother and Father (1) as well as Mokuba would not want you to do that." Yugi said putting a comforting hand on Ryou's arm.  
  
The rest of the period was spent in silence none really feeling like eating, but none feeling sorrow. Instead the three sat in a silence that was both comforting and familiar, a silence that spoke in volumes of deep trust and friendship that could never be broken.  
  
Across the cafeteria a figure watched the three a small smile hovering around the lips as sharp eyes caught all expressions. 'I'm glad you are no longer alone little light, I'm glad that finally we can meet and neither of us has to be alone.' the figure's thoughts did not show on his face as he turned and exited the cafeteria disappearing through the large doors as though he had never stood there.  
  
to be continue  
  
1. Yugi is referring to the Andersons, since they adopted Seto, Mokuba, and himself, they refer to them as Mother and Father.  
  
tiger: who the heck was that in the end? Seto: don't you know? you wrote it tiger: yeah i know i wrote it but it was one of those spur of the moment things Bakura: oh you mean like you working on your stories? tiger: ggrrrrr shut up! Ryou: he didn't mean it, he's just angry that he didn't have a bigger part. Yugi: and that he barely had a chance to speak to Ryou Ryou: (-'.'-) Bakura: shut your mouth you little midget! Yugi: *sniff* it's not my fault i'm short! tiger: hey! that was totally uncalled for! *smacks Bakura upside the head with a large book* i'm short too you know *sniffsniff* it's not our fault we're vertically challenged it's our genes tiger and Yugi: *begin to cry on each other's shoulders wailing* Bakura: @.@ ouch  
  
!!please review!! 


	11. Chapter 9: Visits

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, however, if the owners want to give it away...I promise to take good care of it, especially certain characters.....hehehe. (^_______^)  
  
Warning: This is slash, meaning it does contain male/male pairings, and some characters are OOC, and this story is an AU. Well that's all I got to say, continue if these warnings are understood and accepted.  
  
A.N. Ryou Bakura - Ryou Hunter, Yami Bakura - Bakura Kageshi, Yami Yugi - Yami Taiyou. Seto Kaiba - may and will be referred to as Kai: Seto and Yugi are ADOPTIVE brothers and will refer to each other as brothers. *"Words"* - spoken telepathically, 'words' - thoughts, "words" - spoken out loud  
  
Same day as last chapter, after school.  
  
Chapter Nine: Visits  
  
They stood in silence as a slight breeze blew through the tall trees surrounding the grassy area. The sun was hidden behind large, gray clouds which were threatening to let loose a torrent of water at any moment. The figures stood in front of two markers, granite and marble both bearing the names of loved ones. Seto stood to the right wearing black pants, shirt, and coat; his brown hair moving gently in the breeze. His shorter brother, Yugi, also wore black and stood in the middle of his two taller companions. In his hands he held one white and one red, their stems intertwined both to one another; a beautiful symbol of unity, of a tie unbroken in life and death. Ryou stood to the left also wearing black his white hair and pale skin standing out more, along with his wide brown eyes.  
  
Yugi stepped forward and bent down, putting the roses between the two markers. The action was familiar to him, he had been doing the same thing each year since his parents had been killed and they had begun hunting together. He said nothing, only looked at the graves and gave a small smile before stepping back to where he previously stood. Seto stepped up and spoke his smooth voice soft in the silence.  
  
"Mother, Father, it's been a while," he began, "Four years have passed and I'm sorry to say we still haven't found him. But I swear to the two of you, we will and we'll make him pay for what he did." His voice hardened with the statement and his eyes seemed like frozen shards of ice, "I still haven't found Mokuba, but I know he's still alive, I would have known if anything happened to him, and I know the two of you are watching over him and keeping him safe for me until I find him." He closed his eyes and thought of the wild black hair that cascaded to all places and the shinning gray-blue eyes of his younger brother. "We have to go but I promise we will find your murdered and Mokuba. Good bye for now Mother, Father I love you both." With that he turned and walked away closely followed by his smaller brother.  
  
One figure remained. Ryou stood unmoving as Seto and Yugi made their way out of the cemetery. Slowly he moved forward to where the others had stood before him; he stood as if on trial, guilty of a crime without compare, a crime that could never be forgiven.  
  
"Hello Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson, " he greeted in a quiet voice as if talking to people who stood not a few feet away. "I'm happy to say that Seto and Yugi are doing well an, they're both wonderful people and good friends. They watch out for each other and for me," he smiled as if telling some proud parents of their children's accomplishments, but soon his face was serious and grim. "Seto wasn't lying when he said we will find Simon but he didn't tell you the whole story." Ryou sighed and looked at the graves in sadness.  
  
"We're being hunted, our reputation as the Lights have grown and the Ancients are getting worried. They've sent the best they have after us," he explained in the silence, the wind blowing. "I know I dragged them into this and am partially to blame for your deaths. But I promise you this," his voice hardened with determination, "I will not let anything happen to the two of them, they will remain safe. Even if it costs me my life the Shadows will not harm them." With that he pulled out a third rose from his coat pocket, a rose unlike the other two; it's petals were an ebony colour, black as the shadows in the darkest of nights. After putting the rose with the others he turned and followed the path that had been taken by Seto and Yugi.  
  
Night had fallen as Ryou walked along the sidewalk alone, he knew Seto and Yugi were together so he wasn't worried and he could take care of himself even though Seto worried about him. He walked in silence, the wind blowing his coat to conform to his body; his white hair blowing behind him like a banner.  
  
'The winds are getting stronger, must be a storm,' he thought distractedly, pulling his jacket closer. He felt eyes watching him from the darkness and was worried, he had left all his supplies at home not expecting any trouble. He walked faster hoping to discourage whoever it was following him, even with his increased strides his steps remained as silent as those of a cat, a skill he had perfected at a young age. However, even as he quickened his steps he knew, instinctively, that his pursuer was not far behind, stalking him like predator to a prey. 'I just hope what ever it is following me it isn't too old,' he thought grimly his mind thought of all possible escapes, finding none.  
  
He stopped suddenly and swirled around, hoping to surprise his follower, he saw no one but had briefly seen a flash of gold in the shadows. The he felt it, a slight push against his mental defenses; a warning of a strong telepath, before the slight push became a mental barrage meant to take down mental walls quickly and efficiently. Ryou let out a cry of pain as his barriers were broken with ease, allowing the other to enter his mind. The pain pounded through his head as he felt the other mind invading his; probing, reading, living and feeling all that was in his mind, and he knew he could do little now that the other had entered. However, the sensation of the other mind was unlike any other vampire, at least a natural vampire; this one did not cause the same excruciating pain as all other vampires caused when telepathically invading a person's mind, the initial pain had already dulled to a mild pressure. Taking a deep calming breath Ryou turned around and looked more closely in the shadows, trying to pinpoint where the other was located. Suddenly the vampire spoke in his mind.  
  
*"Who are you?"* it demanded, *" Or better yet, what are you?"* The voice spoke harshly in his head, causing Ryou to give a wince of pain at the tone, but he did not answer. *"Hmph, figures,"* the voice sneered, *"It doesn't matter whether you answer me or not, in case you've forgotten I'm inside your mind. Anything I want to know I only have to find, and trust me it'll hurt."* The voice threatened, Ryou, however, did not believe the threat. After all, if the vampire had wanted to find something out it did not need to give any warning since Ryou could do nothing to stop it, and why give him a chance to block the pain if the vampire had wanted him to feel any agony. *"Hehe,"* it laughed in his mind, *" I wouldn't bet my life on that Hunter,"* the voice was taunting as the vampire picked up the thought as well as his name.  
  
*"What do you want then?"* Ryou asked mentally speaking to the vampire in his mind, he felts it's surprise at his ability and it's reluctant respect. Being able to mentally speak to another was a skill that was possessed by very few humans, and those who did possess it often did not even know of their ability. Ryou continued, *"I didn't call out to you or even come near you. You were the one who initiated this."* The vampire gave an amused laugh at the comment.  
  
*"True enough, however, I, along with countless others, can do nothing else when you give off such a pure aura. An aura with the protection of a dark power."* The information was revealed in a serious tone. Ryou had no idea what it spoke of, he knew everyone had an aura and that vampires, along with a few humans, could sense it, he himself was one of those few humans, but a pure aura? Ryou knew he was far from pure, he had taken countless lives and the vampire knew this since he was in Ryou's mind.  
  
*"True, you have, but you've remained pure at heart, a rare thing for someone in your 'profession',"* the other replied to Ryou's thoughts. *" But that's only part of your appeal to my kind, you possess something else just as rare as such purity; you have a, how do I put this, a protection, a barrier other than your own; One that warns all vampires that you are under someone's protection, someone very powerful. As you are more than likely aware, we vampires rarely show any affection, let alone such protectiveness, and that we tend to want what cannot be ours."* With that comment Ryou was instantly on guard, ready incase the vampire chose to attack.  
  
*"Don't worry,"* it assured, *"Your other is coming to your protection, just like I knew he would. I'll go now, but I promise I'll be back, for now I'll leave you with this."* With that the vampire retreated, but not before it gave a final mental attack that was stronger than any other Ryou had encountered, and attack that nearly tore his mind apart with the intense pain.  
  
Ryou gave a cry of pain at the sensation that overrode his mind a feeling like thousands of needles pushing into his brain, a hammer continuously pounding in his skull. He gave a moan of pain and leaned against the wall of a nearby building; panting raggedly, sweat beading on his skin, his hair plastered onto his forehead, the cold air chilled his skin. The pain was so intense that he felt the inky edge of darkness beginning to engulf him, and soon his body went lax as he lost his consciousness.  
  
The other watched in the shadows, unmoving and barely breathing, knowing that he was not the only one watching. He wasn't disappointed, just as the snow haired youth was about to fall a blur of movement prevented the other's fall. The unseen vampire watched in fascination as the newcomer gently picked up the limp form of the Hunter youth, and began to slowly move towards an unknown destination. The vampire could not help but give a small smile, he knew the Hunter bloodline was strong, and the last of the line was no exception, but his parting attack was powerful and was meant to hurt - a lot, and it did, but he wanted to see if it was true and he had just received his answer.  
  
'How the mighty has fallen,' he thought turning away and moving further into the shadows. 'But I wonder, are you the only one still capable of feelings, old friend? Or will the others join our ranks? We who choose to protect instead of destroy a guardian to humans. I wonder, but soon I will have all the answers I seek. Until then, hold him close and keep him safe; he may one of our last chance at a normal life old friend.'  
  
Seto looked out the window for the third time in the last ten minutes, it had begun to rain, and he was even more worried. Ryou was still not home, it wasn't that he didn't think the other could take care of himself but the brunet could not help but worry; no matter how cold and tough Ryou acted and how great his skills at hunting was, he still held the fragile innocence that was similar to that of Yugi's and the one he remembered Mokuba having. Seto had made a promise to himself to protect that same innocence at any cost, the white haired young man was as important to Seto as his own brothers. Seto also knew what Ryou had gone through at such a young age, although Ryou had not told him, he had certain abilities that the others did not know about; like his ability to see into the past, his visions of the future and his ability to pick up other people's memories when their minds were not shielded. After he had learned of Ryou's past Seto had instantly vowed to protect his friend from that kind of pain again.  
  
"Stop worrying so much, Kai," said Yugi watching his brother look out the window again. "Ryou's fine he ca take care of himself, you know that."  
  
"I do, but that doesn't mean I can't worry," he replied. "He wasn't that far behind us, he should be here by now, and he didn't have anything with him."  
  
"You worry to much, Kai, you're gonna get gray hair if you keep this up." Yugi teased his brother trying to calm him down and get him to relax.  
  
"I know I do Yugi, but you know how Ryou can be sometimes. He'd take on the entire vampire population if it meant keeping us safe." Seto sighed and slumped into the nearest couch, worrying always tired him out. "He wants to protect us at any cost, including his life if necessary. I worry about him."  
  
Yugi looked at his brother, he knew what Seto was talking about; it was true, if ever given a choice between saving himself or saving Seto and Yugi Ryou would choose the former and give up his life. Yugi was also aware of how his brother felt towards their white haired companion. 'Seto you care about others too much, we can take care of our selves. You have to think about your safety for once, you can't protect the whole world, no one can.' He smiled widely at his brother and sat next to the tall brunet.  
  
"Look who's talking, you're the same way, Kai, and you know it." Yugi leaned back and smiled at his brother. "Seto, we can watch out for ourselves, you know that. I'm not saying I don't want you watching over my back, I'm just saying you have to loosen up. Ryou and I aren't made of glass; we're just as tough as you are."  
  
"I know Yugi, but I already let Mokuba down and lost him, I won't let the same thing happen to you and Ryou. I.... I don't think I could survive any more loss. After our parents died I promised Mokuba and myself that I'd never let anything happen to him, that we'd always be together and that I would keep him safe, that I'd protect him. I failed him, Yugi, he was taken because I wasn't there, I let him down." His voice was quiet, pain resonating from the smooth tone.  
  
"You didn't know it would happen, Seto, you're not psychic." Yugi knew Seto still blamed himself for what happened four years ago believing that had he been there it could have been prevented. Yugi knew it would not have changed anything, Ryou felt the same way his brother did. "Everything happens for a reason, brother. Fate is not something that can be controlled. We're only mortals, even vampires have no control over their fate. No one does."  
  
Seto smiled at the comment. "If vampires had control over their fates then they'd make sure not to run into us." The two laughed lightly the strain of the day easing.  
  
Suddenly Seto stopped as he sensed something, his eyes were hard as he walked to the door and flung it open. There on the porch was Ryou, his hair damp along with his clothing. His expression was peaceful telling the others that he was sleeping. Seto looked around the street looking for whomever it was that left Ryou, he saw nothing but a deserted shadowed street; not a soul was present save for himself, Yugi and Ryou.  
  
"Let's get him inside, I can't sense anyone there but they could be masking their presence." Yugi nodded and opened the door as Seto carried Ryou inside.  
  
"What do you think happened, Kai?" Yugi looked at his white haired friend hoping the other was all right.  
  
"I don't know, but he's not hurt. Let's get him into his room, we can stay home tomorrow and he can tell what happened. We all need a break." Seto headed up the stairs and into Ryou's room, setting his companion on the bed. He and Yugi took off Ryou's wet clothes and changed him, not once did the pale young man wake.  
  
"Let's get to bed, Yugi." Seto prodded his brother who still hovered over Ryou's still form. "He's fine, I checked."  
  
"Okay, Kai. I'm just making sure." Yugi looked at his brother sheepishly, before heading into his own room after saying good night to Seto, who also entered his room.  
  
As soon as the house was silent and all was sleeping, the figure entered the home and competently made it's way into the bedroom. Ryou slept soundly, his breathing even and deep, his face peaceful. 'I'm sorry I didn't arrive in time little Light,' the figure thought as it stood over the figure in the bed. 'I'll find him, I promise, no one threatens or harms what is mine. He's done both to you, and to me that's nothing more than a wish for an early death.' The figure gently ran a hand through the white hair that was spread over the pillows.  
  
Ryou shifted and sighed, his voice soft in the darkness, "'Kura, missed you."  
  
Bakura smiled, "I missed you too my little Light." He left the house with a smile feeling happier than he had in years. He looked at the window on the second floor and smiled again, he remembered feeling like this only a handful of time in his long lifetime, and all of those times had been when he was with the little boy he had saved all those years ago, the boy he had not seen in so long. The little boy had grown up and Bakura was proud to see that he had grown to be strong and had retained the innocence that had drawn the ancient to him in the beginning. "Soon my little Light, soon."  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: hehehe sorry that took a while to finish. i was writing most of it in chem. class Seto: and you wonder why you're doing so bad in that class (-.-*)  
  
tiger: do you have to remind me? i was in such a good mood too.  
  
Ryou: ooowww @-@  
  
Yugi: his head still hurts, i already gave him tylenol  
  
tiger: hehe sorry ryou, but it was necessary for the plot ( ^_^*) hope you're not mad Seto: he isn't but i would stay away from bakura for a while if i were you  
  
Bakura: ggggrrrrr tiger, what did you do to my light?  
  
tiger: eerrrr it wasn't me! it was him!! *points to vampire in the shadows* blame him, it was his attack!! Ryou: *groans* ooww 'kura, my head hurts *puppy dog eyes*  
  
Bakura: it's ok i'll get that jerk *glares at shadowy vampire* tiger who is he?? tiger: sorry classified information, i can reveal nothing  
  
Bakura: not even to me? *puppy dog eyes* please?  
  
tiger: ahhhhh nononono must resist...must......resist.......cuteness!!! aahhhhhh!!!! where'd you learn to do that?? no one can have such a cute expression while looking totally evil at the same time Yugi: *whistles innocently*  
  
Bakura: *puppy dog eyes go watery and sparkly* plwease? *sniffsniff* for me? pwease? tiger: aahhhhnooo!!! must resist......dang.....*sight* my will is not strong enough to resist the cuteness. ok i'll tell you *pulls bakura over and whispers in ears* he's............  
  
Bakura: thanx, i knew you were too weak to resist the ultimate cuteness (^____^) tiger: *grumbles* damn puppy dog eyes, if you weren't so damn hot i'd kill you off Ryou: no!! not my 'Kura please not him!! *puppy dog eyes*  
  
tiger: AAAHHHHH!!!!! not another one......eeeeeeeeee!!!! can't resist cuteness.......overload *glomps Ryou and Bakura* so cute!!!!!!!  
  
!!please review!!  
  
For anyone interested my other fic Somewhere Out There os now finished!!! 


	12. Chapter 10: Powers of Light

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Warning: This is slash, which means m/m pairings. So for those who are squeamish about that sort of thing you have been warned! But if you do have a problem with this sort of thing how did you get to this chapter without noticing?? Also this is AU, and characters will be OOC.  
  
A.N. Ryou Bakura - Ryou Hunter, Yami Bakura - Bakura Kageshi, Yami Yugi - Yami Taiyou. Seto Kaiba - may and will be referred to as Kai: Seto and Yugi are ADOPTIVE brothers and will refer to each other as brothers. *"Words"* - spoken telepathically, 'words' - thoughts, "words" - spoken out loud  
  
Next day (Is it just me or is this thing getting shorter with every chapter?)  
  
Chapter Ten: Powers of Light  
  
The sun's gilded rays touched the figure on the bed, who grumbled in annoyance as the bright light of day invaded the darkness of sleep. Ryou rolled over and pulled the covers over his head trying to fall once more into the comforting warmth of sleep, which was a haven from the cold and harsh reality of life.  
  
"Hhhmmmm, no talk now sleep more," he mumbled into his pillow curling up into a small ball under his covers. It was not a well-known fact but he loved sleeping in and if he could, he would not wake up until noon if possible, which in his case never was. Through the fog of sleep he heard a giggle and footsteps that led to his bed.  
  
"Don't worry sleepyhead, we don't have to go to school today. Kai already called the school and told them we were sick and he was staying to take care of us." Yugi sat down at the edge of his friend's bed knowing Ryou was listening, well half listening, with him in bed it wouldn't have surprised Yugi at all if Ryou woke up and didn't remember any part of their conversation. "I know I'm ruining your precious sleep but, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, you looked pretty bad last night. So how are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine, sleep now." With that the conversation ended and Yugi left the bedroom with a small laugh, and proceeded down to the kitchen where he found his brother making breakfast.  
  
"How is Ryou feeling?" Seto looked at his brother as the shorter young man climbed on a chair swinging his legs back and forth like a five year old, making Seto want to laugh at the sight.  
  
"He's asleep, Kai, what else can I say? You know how he gets when he's in bed," Yugi said smiling at the taller teen as a plate of scrambled egg was placed in front of him with a piece of toast. "Ryou could sleep through a hurricane, and knowing him he'll wake up at noon and wonder why we didn't wake him up to go to school." Seto laughed and sat down with his own breakfast across his brother.  
  
"So what do you want to do today? We have nothing to work on, except that project and we can't do that without the others," Seto asked Yugi as he drank orange juice.  
  
"I don't know Kai, we can just vege if you want, I mean we haven't had a day off in a while. We're always at school during the day and hunting at night," said Yugi leaning back in his chair with a sigh, as he finished his food. "That was great, you're a great cook Kia."  
  
"No I'm not, you're just trying to suck up and get me to cook tonight instead of you," replied Seto with a grin knowing his brother would try everything to convince him to cook their dinner. "Sorry Yugi, not happening, I've cooked for your last three turns, your have to cook this time." Yugi gave an exaggerated sigh and put his dishes in the sink and began to slowly wash them, he hated cooking with a passion, it wasn't that he was bad at it, it was that he could barely reach the counter, let alone the stove and the ingredients he needed in the top cupboards. "I know you hate cooking, Yugi, but I will help you if you need help, okay?" Seto felt guilty for saying no to his brother, knowing how much Yugi hated cooking because it reminded him of his height, or lack thereof, and tried to make it up to him.  
  
"It's alright, Kai," Yugi replied feeling his brother's guilt, it swamped at him and his own guilt built up, until he was nearly drowning in the sensation. Like Seto, Yugi had certain abilities that the others knew nothing of, he was able to feel what others felt, which contributed to his sensitive, emotional nature, and was able to send out his own emotions to others. Usually he could shield himself from the onslaught of emotions but Seto was close to him and he was never fully able to close off neither Seto nor Ryou when it came to his ability. The intensity of the emotion grew and darkness began to creep into his consciousness as his mind overloaded with the guilt. "Please, don't feel guilty, Kai.....it....it hurts," his voice was weak and his knees threatened to collapse, his breathing becoming irregular, sweat beading his face.  
  
"Yugi? What's wrong? Are you alright?" Seto moved closer to his brother, putting an arm around the smaller young man, in support, as Yugi's legs gave away. His blue showing deep concern as he raised Yugi's face to his own and looked at the large violet eyes, which were clouded with pain. "Yugi, are you in pain? What is it?" Receiving no reply, Seto picked up the smaller and lighter young man and carried him to the living room, gently putting him on the couch.  
  
"I'm fine Seto," said Yugi weakly, a headache pounding in his head, "Just please don't feel guilty about it anymore, and stop worrying too, it hurts." With that he closed his eyes and succumbed to the darkness of sleep, away from the splitting pain in his head. Seto shook his brother gently, worried, but seeing the look of peace on his brother's face he decided to leave him be and went back to the kitchen to wash the dishes.  
  
'What happened to you Yugi?' Seto thought to himself as he washed the plates. 'Why were you so ill suddenly? And what do you mean my guilt hurts?' He finished his task and went back to the living room, and turning on the TV waited for one of his housemates to wake up. 'These last few months have been strange as hell,' he thought. 'First we get those new student who look like they could be clones of the others, then we get a bounty on our heads by the Shadows, yesterday that group work, the attack on Ryou last night, and now this. I just hope it's not an omen.' Seto turned off the TV and closed his eyes, deciding to take a nap since the others were also asleep.  
  
Ryou sat up in bed and looked at his alarm clock on his bedside table, seeing the time he jumped out of his bed and ran down the stairs in search of the others. Finding both Seto and Yugi asleep in the living room he went to the kitchen and prepared lunch, still in his nightclothes, which consisted of pajama bottom and tank top. 'They could have woken me up and told me,' he thought to himself as he moved around the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible, and succeeding badly; as he accidentally dropped a pot, which unfortunately landed on his foot which made him yell out curses in all the languages he knew. Seto, being a light sleeper ran into the kitchen and stopped in a fighting stance looking around for an attacker, finding only Ryou holding his foot while cursing under his breath.  
  
"Dammit Ryou, you and your dirty mouth," Seto sighed going to his friend and pushing the smaller young man to a chair and heading to the fridge and getting ice. "If Yugi heard you he'd have a fit, you know how he is about swearing." He set the bag of ice on Ryou's abused foot and proceeded to continue where the other had left off in making their lunch. "Have a nice sleep?"  
  
"Shut up, Kai," Ryou snapped holding the ice to his foot which throbbed. "You guys could have woken me up you know, now we missed school and with our luck, we probably missed a lot of work and are behind." He sighed and leaned against the table, his chin on his free hand, and looked at Seto with a frown. "Why did we stay home anyway?" At the question Seto shook his head and did not answer until the other gave a loud sigh and began tapping on the table in annoyance.  
  
"In case you've forgotten Ryou, you were attacked last night," Seto explained. "We don't even know how you got home, and I thought it best if we stayed home today and let you rest, then you can explain to Yugi and I what happened after we left you." Seto looked at his friend and sent a gentle probe into the other's mind, making sure to remain undetected, trying to find out what had occurred in the attack. Ryou feeling the push, snapped his head up and looked around, his eyes sharp; not suspecting at all that the one who had sent the mental probe was standing right in front of him. Seto seeing the other's reaction pulled back immediately, surprised that Ryou had been able to sense him when even vampires had had not sensed his probes in the past.  
  
'What was that?' Ryou thought to himself, feeling the push easing and disappearing entirely, 'It was familiar, but was it the vampire from last night?' Ryou asked himself, still sitting tensely on his chair. Looking up he saw Seto looking at him with questioning cerulean blue eyes, and he quickly relaxed, not wanting to make the other suspicious.  
  
'You're hiding something, Ryou, and I'll find out what,' Seto thought turning away from the other, 'I'm tired of you hiding things from us, and maybe I'll reveal some things about myself as well.' Seto's thoughts were interrupted when Yugi walked in rubbing sleep from his eyes and giving a yawn.  
  
"Oh, Ryou you're awake," he said sleepily sitting across the white haired young man. "I came into your room this morning to tell you we were staying home, but I'm guessing you don't remember." Ryou shook his head, telling the spiked haired young man that he hadn't and causing Yugi to laugh. "How can you sleep so deeply and wake up at dawn if you need to without being grumpy?" Yugi asked jokingly.  
  
"Must be his sunny disposition," put in Seto sarcastically, receiving a glare for his comment. "So Yugi, how are you feeling?" Ryou glanced at Yugi in surprise, not knowing what had occurred earlier between the two.  
  
"Yeah, I'm feeling better now Seto, don't worry about it." Yugi assured his brother, wanting to change the subject, not wanting the others to know about his abilities just yet. "So, Ryou what happened last night?" At the question Ryou's face became shuttered and his eyes darkened.  
  
"It was a vampire," he said quietly, noting that Seto immediately stopped what he was doing to sit with him and Yugi. "I was walking home when I felt something trying to get into my head. I turned around and I saw no one, but then he began to speak to me."  
  
"What did he say to you? Do you think he was one of the Shadows?" Seto looked at Ryou his eyes sharp shards of ice, intent on everything that Ryou said.  
  
"I really don't know Kai, all I know is that he said some things that made no sense to me."  
  
"Did he try to hurt you Ryou? We found you on the porch unconscious, and no one was around." This came from Yugi who was looking at the white haired Hunter with eyes full of concern.  
  
"No he really didn't try to hurt me, until he left. That was when he attacked me; I've never come across a vampire with a telepathic attack that strong." Ryou raised his head and looked at his two companions. "He said that he'd see me again, but before that he said something that I can not understand. He......he said that I had a pure aura, and that I was protected." His dark brown eyes darkened further and his face showed a look of concentration.  
  
"Protected by what Ryou?" Yugi could not help but be curious about what his friend was speaking of, and seeing his friend's expression he gave a small push; trying to see what his friend was feeling. In doing so he felt a deep wanting, a need to find this mysterious vampire, and to find out what he had meant. Suddenly the connection was cut off and Yugi looked at his friend in surprise seeing alert, narrowed brown eyes. 'He sensed me, but how?' Yugi thought.  
  
Ignoring the feeling Ryou continued. "He said I was protected by a dark power, something that warned off vampires. I don't really know what he meant, than he attacked and all went black." Finishing his explanation Ryou leaned back on his chair and watched the others for their reaction. Seto, as was usual showed little reaction, and Yugi's large violet eyes showed concern for his friend. "So how did I get home?"  
  
"We're just as much in the dark on how you got home, as you are. We found you on the porch, and no one was around, at least we saw no one."  
  
"Seto, that vampire said that Ryou was protected by a dark power," Yugi began. "Do you suppose that the dark power is another vampire?"  
  
"Actually, that's something else that was strange," Ryou said. "He said something to me that hinted that it is a vampire's barrier, but why would any vampire want to protect me?"  
  
"You said something about a pure aura, he's talking about yours right?" Seto turned to Ryou.  
  
"Kai, you know as well as I do that there is no way that I can possibly posses a pure aura. I've done too much, seen too much, to have one."  
  
"To us humans, and aura is nothing but colours surrounding all living things that have a spirit, vampires, humans, animals it does not matter what. However, the way we humans look at it we only skim the surface of the auras that we can sense, vampires have heightened sensitivity to the auras of all they see. To you your aura may be tainted and no longer pure, but to vampires your aura is pure and as innocent as that of a child's." Seto looked at Ryou and Yugi, both of whom were looking at him in attention. "You see yourself not as others see you Ryou, you see only your shortcomings, but you seem to always ignore all the things you've done, given up for the sake of others; the things that make you truly pure. It is not the innocence or lack of knowledge of reality that makes an innocent or pure aura, it is the actions taken by the spirit for the sake of others. That is what separates the pure auras from the tainted ones."  
  
Ryou looked at the tall brunet, whose eyes had darkened through his speech. 'He truly believes that I am pure,' he thought. 'If what he says is true, then he and Yugi are just as pure, if not more so, as they claim me to be.' He smiled at the blue-eyed hunter, silently conveying his thanks.  
  
'He can see auras,' Yugi thought looking at his brother. 'That's how he's able to know so much about it, but I thought I was the only one of the three of us. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not the only one.'  
  
"Seto, your aura is just as pure as Ryou's." Yugi stared at his brother looking at the other's reaction. "I can sense it, just as you can sense other's." With that Seto looked at his brother, his expression changing for the first time to one of surprise.  
  
"What do you mean just as you can, Yugi?" Ryou asked also turning to look at the small teen.  
  
"I'm saying I can sense auras just as Seto can, Ryou, that I have powers just like you." Yugi focused his large violet eyes on his white haired companion and concentrated.  
  
*"Powers like this."* He spoke mentally to the Hunter, a small playful smile lurking on his lips at the surprised look on his usually unshakable friend.  
  
"It was you, you were the one I sensed trying to probe my mind," whispered Ryou, a small smile tugging on his lips as Yugi smiled brightly at him giving him a mental nod.  
  
"Yeah, I was worried, when you were talking about auras you looked so worried, I couldn't help it."  
  
"Was that why you passed out this morning?" Seto asked sharply.  
  
"Yeah, I can sense emotions better than anything else," Yugi explained. "I can sense auras and communicate mentally, but I can't do those things as well as I can sense emotions."  
  
"You're an empath, then?" Ryou inquired his voice softer than normal.  
  
"I guess you could call it that, after all I do work better with emotions."  
  
"I had my suspicions, I should have known," murmured Seto looking thoughtful. "What are you, Ryou? I know you have some sort of power too."  
  
"I'm a telepath, you guys already know what telepaths can do," Ryou said. "How about you Kai, what are your gifts?"  
  
"I have no gifts," Seto said his tone solemn. "If my abilities were truly gifts then why wasn't I able to use them to save my brother? My parents, both adoptive ones and biological ones. So many lives have been lost because my 'gifts' did not help at all."  
  
"Kai, don't say that," Yugi said, walking to his brother. "You were just a child, you had no way of knowing, my powers didn't really mature until a few years ago, I'm sure yours were still dormant too."  
  
"Either way, I can't bring myself to accept my abilities as gifts when I was so helpless to help those I loved most." Seto looked down on Yugi, who had buried his face against Seto's lap, his shoulders shaking with his tears.  
  
"But Seto, you can't keep on blaming yourself. You're always telling Ryou to stop, but you wont stop yourself. What happened was not something you could have prevented even if your powers were already active, fate isn't something we can control, remember? We just go with the flow when it comes to fate's games."  
  
"I know Yugi, I'm sorry to have upset you," Seto apologized pulling his brother up and looking into the large violet eyes that help such sorrow. 'Sorrow for me,' he thought. 'I should listen to his advice, it was not something I could prevent, but I swear this, I will find Mokuba.'  
  
"I'm a psychic," he said, his voice steady as he gave Yugi a small smile. "I can see the past, sometimes just random things from the past, but sometimes the past of someone near me or someone whose mind isn't shielded. I can see auras and communicate as well. Sometimes I have visions of the future too, or at least small glimpses into the near future."  
  
"That's how you knew Ryou was outside last night, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I had a flash, Ryou was lying on the ground with someone looking down on him."  
  
"Did you see who it was Seto?" Ryou asked his tone urgent with the need to find the answers to his questions.  
  
"No, I didn't see the other person clearly, but he seemed familiar. Like he was someone I've met before." Seto's eyes narrowed in concentration, the ice blue orbs darkening into the stormy blue of an ocean before a storm.  
  
"So we all had powers all along," said Yugi suddenly, before he began to laugh. "I thought all these years that I should hide it from you guys because I wasn't sure how you guys would feel, and all along you guys were hiding your powers too." Ryou looked at the smaller young man before giving a small laugh of his own.  
  
"That is pretty ridiculous, we could have communicated mentally during hunts instead of talking out loud and risking being heard."  
  
"Well at least we'll be prepared for next time." Seto said, gaining a groan from Yugi. "Well it would give us an edge you know."  
  
"I know Kai, but do you always have to think about work? It's our day off remember?" Yugi looked at his brother his eyes pleading, he knew that if given a chance Seto would insist that they try using their powers during a hunt as soon as possible.  
  
"Okay, just don't whine," replied Seto with a smile of his own at his brother's expression. "So if it's our day off, what do you guys propose we do for the rest of the day?"  
  
"Well we could catch up with sleep," Ryou said smiling when the other occupants of the room groaned. "I'm joking, how about we watch some movies?"  
  
"Yeah, we haven't done that in a while. I bought some a few weeks ago but I haven't had time to watch them yet, let's watch them now." Seto and Ryou nodded in agreement, and went to the living room to prepare while Yugi ran up to his room to get the movies.  
  
The three spent the day watching movies, and were given a reprieve from the darkness that shrouded their lives like the cloak of death, waiting silently in the darkness to catch the careless.  
  
A figure watched in the darkness, looking through a window to see the three laughing together, acting like the teenagers they were and not the adults life had forced them to become.  
  
'He was right, these three are the ones,' the figure thought, giving a small smile as he saw his old friend laughing so easily. 'I wonder if he'll still remember me it's been a while, well we'll see. I just hope we don't have too much problems with the Shadows, but with what I've heard, well it'll be interesting in the least.'  
  
With that the figure melted into the darkness in a movement that spoke of a practiced skill, similar to the once possessed by the Lights, the skills born from hunting killers of the night.  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: sorry that took me longer than i thought to type, i was hoping to get it out by x-mas but as you can all see it didn't turn out that way  
  
Bakura: well obviously they know tiger, when was the last time you put up a new chapter? tiger: hey give me a break i was busy!  
  
Yami: doing what?  
  
tiger: well....err.....ummm......playing tekken 4?  
  
Bakura: oh? so your video games are more important that us?? i am so very hurt *sniffsniff* i thought you loved us! but you love those computer generated guys better don't you?? you don't love us anymore!!  
  
Yugi: you don't wove me no more *puppy dog eyes* but i thought you woved me ;_; *sniffsniff* tiger: no i do love you guys *huggles Bakura and Yugi* but i was distracted.........there was fighting!! blood, killing!! destruction!! i loved it!!!  
  
Yami: *moves away slowly* god i wish i had gone with the others to the mall  
  
Bakura and Yugi: tiger....you're squeezing...can't breathe.....  
  
  
  
!!please review!! 


	13. Chapter 11: Pictures of the Past

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I don't ownYu-Gi-Oh! or any of its characters, merely borrowing it for my fic. I am not making any money from this pick, I wish I were, but I'm not.  
  
Warning: This fic is slash, which means...you guessed it male/male pairings! So if you have problems with this sort of thing, how did you get all the way to this chapter without noticing all the previous warnings? Also this fic is AU and many characters are and will be OOC.  
  
A.N. Ryou Bakura - Ryou Hunter, Yami Bakura - Bakura Kageshi, Yami Yugi - Yami Taiyou, Seto Kiaba - can and will be referred to as Kai (short for Kaiba), Seto and Yugi ARE ADOPTED BROTHERS and will refer to one another as brother.  
  
*"words"* - spoken telepathically, 'words' - thoughts, "words" spoken out loud.  
  
Two days later: Saturday  
  
Chapter Eleven: Pictures of the Past  
  
"They're going to be here soon Kai," said Yugi excitedly, jumping up and down slightly. Yami, Joey, and Bakura were coming over to work on their project and it was the first time that they were going to have guests. Yugi was ecstatic, although from Seto's and Ryou's point of view Yugi's excitement was, more than likely, caused by the large amount of sugar the small teen had consumed during breakfast.  
  
"Calm down Yugi, you're going to wear yourself down," Ryou said laughing slightly at his friend's antics. Yugi was usually an energy filled person but on a sugar high, it wouldn't surprise the white haired teen at all if his friend began bouncing off the walls at any moment.  
  
"Yugi why don't you go watch TV. or something?" Seto said in tired tones, Yugi had been jumping around for a while now and just watching his brother was making him tired.  
  
"But Kaaaaiiiiiii!! I don't wanna!" Yugi gave a short bark of laughter and climbed on the arm rest of the couch standing in position for a moment before executing a perfect back flip to land on the carpet and flop on the ground giggling. Seto sighed and closed his eyes resting his head against the couch cushions.  
  
"Well at least he's not insisting on painting this time," Ryou said good naturedly taking a seat next to the brunet and watching Yugi roll around on the floor.  
  
"Thank God for small blessings," Seto mused rubbing his temple as the beginnings of a headache made itself known. Ryou looked at his friend and frowned at the strained look around his friend's ice blue eyes.  
  
"We can cancel the meeting Kai," he said quietly, putting a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "If you don't feel up to it there's no reason for us to meet today, we have plenty of time to work on this project."  
  
"No I'm fine," Seto replied, his eyes remaining closed. "I just didn't get much sleep last night." Opening one eye he gave his white haired friend a small smile of assurance before closing his eye once again and sinking deeper into the cushions, a moment later he felt a weight land on his lap and elbows prop on his chest. Opening both eyes his gaze was met with the large violet eyes of his brother, who looked at him seriously, all side effects of sugar erased from his cherub like face.  
  
"Seto you're not feeling well, and you know it, you need rest. You didn't sleep at all last night. I heard you in your room," Yugi looked at his brother his gaze darkened with worry. "You can't get sick now, go upstairs and sleep, when the others get here we'll take care of everything. Go rest, please," he continued to look at his brother his eyes silently pleading. He could feel Seto's emotions, and it was like feeling the turmoil in a storm.  
  
Seeing the genuine worry in the smaller teen's eyes Seto smiled and nodded agreeing silently that he would rest. Yugi instantly smiled and hugged his brother around the neck. The sign of affection made Ryou smile, it wasn't rare that the brothers showed such acts, but it was a rare thing to see Seto allowing Yugi to take care of him, usually it was the other way around and Seto was watching over Yugi.  
  
*"I'll bring you some lunch later Kai, just get some sleep now,"* he sent the message telepathically not wanting to end the silence that had fallen into the room. Seto nodded and stood as Yugi moved off of his lap and silently made his way up the stairs and into his room for much need sleep.  
  
"He's working himself too hard," Yugi said once they heard Seto's door close.  
  
"I know Yugi, but what can we do? We can't stop him from hunting; like us it's the only thing keeping him in this world, keeping his sanity. He continues to live because of his need to find Simon and Mokuba, we can't take that from him." Ryou looked down sadly at Yugi, whose violet eyes were clouded with intense sadness.  
  
"He's getting desperate, I can feel it, he's starting to lose hope. He hides it well, even from himself, but he's slowly slipping from us. I can't lose him Ryou, he's the only family I have...he's the only one." tears silently made their tracks on Yugi's cheeks as the thoughts of losing his brother dominated his mind. Ryou closed his eyes, the thoughts as equally unbearable to him and hugged Yugi in an attempt to comfort. Yugi buried his face against his friend's neck, the pain overwhelming, allowing sobs to tremble through him.  
  
"We won't lose him Yugi, he'll stay with us. Seto Kaiba is not someone who gives up easily, he'll fight, until the end he'll fight," Ryou whispered into Yugi's ear tightening his hold comfortingly, closing his eyes tighter to prevent the tears from falling. The two sat unmoving, holding onto each other in silent comfort, both lost in thought. Neither heard the door open and close, nor did they hear the hushed voices moving closer to them.  
  
"Err.... are we interrupting something?" Yugi and Ryou instantly parted and look at towards the doorway ready for and attack. There standing at the door to the living room was Joey smiling mischievously at Ryou and Yugi, who looked equally surprised and embarrassed at being caught unaware, Yami stood next to him his expression impassive. The last figure stood behind the first two, Bakura stood unusually stiff, his crimson tinted eyes flashing with an unidentifiable emotion, his face, in complete contrast with his eyes, was expressionless as if carved in marble, or ice.  
  
"The door was open, we assumed you had left it for us," Bakura said his tone cool. "We didn't mean to walk in on you.... off guard." Though his face remained impassive and his tone uncaring, anger seemed to radiate from him in waves, catching Yugi's empathy. The anger engulfed Yugi, causing him to give a small groan of pain as the strong emotion continued to bombard him.  
  
*"Yugi? What is it?"* Ryou inquired seeing his friend's sudden paleness.  
  
*"Rage Ryou it's directed at me.... it hurts."* As Yugi's breathing quickened Ryou immediately threw his own powers at Yugi strengthening his friend's mental defenses enough so the pain decreased marginally. Seeing their hosts distracted Yami frowned and turned to look at Bakura, who was glaring at the two humans, particularly Yugi. The Ancient instantly knew something was wrong and the white haired vampire was at the root of it.  
  
*"Stop whatever it is you're doing Bakura,"* he telepathically ordered the younger vampire. *"You're hurting the boy." The reprimand was clear and earned Yami a fierce glare, which he answered with one of his own. Bakura sneered in annoyance before complying and ceasing his attack. As soon as the mental bombardment stopped Yugi opened his eyes and gave Ryou a reassuring smile.  
  
"Hey, you two ok?" Joey inquired breaking the silence.  
  
"Yes, sorry about that," Ryou said standing from his seat and gesturing for the three to come in. "Come in and sit down, are you hungry? Would any of you like something to eat or drink?" Ryou smiled hospitably.  
  
"No thanks, we've already...eaten," replied Yami taking a seat on an empty couch, Joey joining him, Bakura remained standing until Ryou smiled and gestured for him to join them.  
  
"Where's Seto?" Yami looked at Ryou and Yugi, and listened intently for the sound of the third occupant of the house.  
  
"He's sleeping, he said to just start without him," Yugi supplied, glancing up the stairs.  
  
"We can't really start today, research wise, but we can start figuring out what we're going to do," Ryou said sitting back down next to Yugi. "So what do you guys think we should do? Do any of you know a lot about...vampires?" Ryou could not keep the remorse from his voice when he said this. Joey raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic look of contempt on the teen's face.  
  
'Hmmm, I wonder,' he thought to himself looking at Ryou and Yugi with a calculating look in his eyes. 'Maybe we don't have to look too hard to find those we're searching for.'  
  
"Actually none of us is really into the supernatural and that sort of thing," Yami said, Joey nodding in agreement absentmindedly. "Personally I doubt vampires and such things can be real."  
  
"Actually Yami, throughout the years there have been mysterious killings and disappearances that just might prove you wrong," Bakura said for the first time since sitting down, his comment earning him another glare form the older vampire.  
  
*"What the hell do you think you're doing Bakura?!"* Yami yelled in Bakura's mind, his anger flowing through their mental link. *"I've already told you not to call attention to us and you say something like that!"* Bakura merely smiled at this friend's mental tirade and continued.  
  
"There was news a few years back on mysterious killings at some city, they say the bodies were found but the cause of death was.... unusual. Rumours had it that the bodies that were found were dry." Bakura relished the thunderous expression forming on Yami's usually calm face. "They called it the 'Dracul Killings' and some people claim that it was vampires. There was one killing though that really got to me, vampire or not it was sick." Bakura's face lost all expression, hardening into a stone like mask. "There was a..."  
  
"A little girl," Ryou said cutting Bakura off. "Only about seven years old, they found the her body after she was missing for about a week." The others, including Bakura remained silent allowing Ryou to finish the story. "W-when they found the.... her body it was mutilated as if it was ravaged by wild dogs, but the bite marks were like nothing anyone had ever seen. It was also the last killing they had in that area," at this point Ryou's voice had hardened, his eyes narrowed making him look more identical to Bakura than before.  
  
Yugi looked at his friend seeing the obvious changes and feeling the helpless rage Ryou felt and instantly knew. The killing had been a vampire, and the little girl had been the last because Ryou has gotten the killer before he could kill again, however in Ryou's mind he had not made the kill on time and blamed himself for the senseless killing of the little girl. Instantly Yugi reached for his friend's mind to reassure him, only to find himself blocked out, shielded, not by Ryou but by something, or someone very powerful and very protective.  
  
Ryou sat his eyes unfocused, trying to prevent the images of the past from entering his mind. Just as the first images invaded his mind's eye he felt someone block him from the pain, someone unknown yet closely familiar, someone he knew yet was a stranger to him.  
  
*"It's alright my little Light,"* the mental voice that spoke to him was like a warm comforting breeze. *"You did what you could, do not let the past hurt you. Do not take the blame for something beyond your control,"* the voice was calm and soothing, so eerily familiar that Ryou found himself instinctively reaching for the other mind.  
  
*"Who are you?"* he asked as he basked in the other's presence.  
  
*"A memory, my little Light, a memory."* With that the other presence disappeared with a final wave of warmth. Ryou instantly became aware of Yugi gently shaking him.  
  
"Ryou are you ok?" Yugi waved a hand in front of Ryou, who looked down at him with, dark brown eyes confused. "You were zoning out there. Are you all right? Maybe you should get some rest, you didn't get much sleep last night too."  
  
"No, I'm fine Yugi, just thinking."  
  
Yami sat back and watched the two humans talk to one another, turning away his attention was caught by some photos lined up along the shelf of a bookcase located at one side of the room. Standing up he walked to the bookshelf and picked one of the photographs up. He looked at the figures standing, frozen in that one joyful moment in time, smiling happily at the camera. Yami easily identified two of the figures as Yugi and Seto; a few years younger than they were now, the older man and woman were unknown to Yami, who dismissed them. The last face, however, cause Yami's eyes to narrow and a small furrow appeared between his brows. There standing next to Seto, a big smile on his happy face, a small hand clasping the young brunet's was someone Yami knew, someone he had helped a few years back and was almost like a brother to him.  
  
'Mokuba,' Yami thought in wonder his eyes widening in realization. 'Seto is the brother Mokuba spoke of, and Yugi must be his other older brother.' Yami closed his eyes and remembered the tattered pictures Mokuba had shown him; one of which showed a small brown haired child smiling at the camera as he held a younger boy in his arms, and the other showed the same brunet with a spike haired little kid. 'Seto and Yugi are Mokuba's brothers, they are they're the hunters the vampire who took Mokuba was talking about,' the thoughts ran through his mind quickly, his hold on the frame tightening with a force enough to shatter the delicate glass protecting the picture.  
  
"The Lights," he whispered to himself, putting the picture back in its place he looked at the other framed images on the shelf. Another picture caught the Ancient's eyes, one that filled in the empty spaces in his revelations. The picture was of three teens, different in sizes, expressions, in all aspect but one. 'The Three Lights, Seto Kaiba, Yugi Moto, Ryou Hunter.' Yami's eyes lost their usual guarded look and began to burn with undecipherable light.  
  
"I've found you."  
  
"Found who Yami?" Joey suddenly asked appearing behind the shorter vampire.  
  
"No one Joey, no one," with that Yami returned to his previous seat and once again was lost in his thoughts. 'The Lights did begin making their kills a few months after Mokuba said he was taken, could it be that they hunt because of Seto and Yugi's loss? Then why would Ryou hunt with them?' The questions circled through Yami's mind causing him to block out the conversation around him. 'They said they met Ryou only a few years ago.... I wonder.' Yami looked at the white haired teen that was now laughing slightly at a comment made by Joey. 'What do you have to do with all this? How did you get involved in this Ryou Hunter?" As the name reverberated through his mind more pieces of the puzzle fell in place.  
  
'Hunter, of course! Ryou Hunter, the last of the Hunter blood,' Yami thought in awe. 'No wonder the lights are so successful in killing, one of them is a Hunter, a natural blood born vampire hunter,' crimson eyes narrowed further in thought. 'But I thought the Hunter bloodline was destroyed,' the revelation opened new questions for the Ancient Pharaoh, who turned and looked at his friend. 'Bakura you never failed on a mission in all the lifetimes I've known you. What happened all those years ago? Why is it that a Hunter lives?' Not expecting a reply Yami was surprised to receive one.  
  
*"Do not concern yourself too much Pharaoh, you will receive all the answers you seek and all will finally be clear,"* a mental voice said, the vampire who owned the voice was not one Yami recognized and he instantly sent his mind out to search for the source.  
  
*"Who are you? How dare you enter my mind,"* Yami's demand was hard and backed by an unquestionable rage.  
  
*"Who I am is irrelevant at this time, Pharaoh, but soon you, all of you, will know exactly who I am."* With that the other vampire retreated leaving not even a trace of its presence. Yami looked around at the others in the room trying to determine if it could have been one of them, seeing nothing out of the ordinary the Ancient dismissed the possibility of the Lights being able to communicate mentally.  
  
'Whoever that was knew a lot more than he let on. He said soon, well I'll wait, I'll wait until my unsuspecting prey is within reach.' Yami snarled, startling Joey and Bakura, as they were the only ones to see their friend's show of temper. Yugi looked at their three guests in confusion, one moment Joey and Bakura were discussing the project with them, and the next they were staring at Yami looking slightly shocked for no apparent reason.  
  
*"What's the matter Yami?"* Joey asked his mental tone serious.  
  
*"Did you find something out?"* Bakura inquired sharply, he would not be surprised if Yami had somehow found something out. Something that could endanger Ryou and cause a rift between the two Ancients that could push two of the most powerful Ancients into a battle against one another.  
  
*"No, no it's nothing,"* Yami's reply was sent to both, but his crimson eyes were locked onto Bakura's dark brown gaze.  
  
'You know,' both thought immediately as they looked into one another's eyes, which remained free of their hidden knowledge.  
  
"We should go," Yami said rising from his seat and walking towards the door followed by Joey and Bakura. "I'm sure we can meet again another time, the project isn't due for a while, and we really should do this when Seto's here."  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right," Yugi agreed smiling at the three. "Thanks for coming over."  
  
"It was no problem, it was fun," Joey said smiling at Yugi and Ryou.  
  
"We'll see you later, bye." Yugi and Ryou watched from the door as the three walked away.  
  
"I should prepare Seto something to eat," Ryou said closing the door and walking to the kitchen followed by Yugi, talking quietly about the afternoon's events.  
  
The tall teen stood in the center of the field, fog rolling through the tall grass that grew to his knees encased in denim. Ice blue eyes scanned their surroundings, hands fisted at his side, coat fluttering in the wind. Turning his eyes fell on his two companions, who were standing as still as he, ready to fight at any moment. Feeling eyes upon him he turned to face invisible enemies, but what met his eyes caused his heart to stutter in his chest. Glacier blue eyes met storm cloud gray, identical in shape. Years had passed yet it was as if only minutes had gone by since the two colours had met.  
  
"Mokuba," the name left the teen's mouth, a whispered prayer. The apparition smiled the same familiar curling of the lips reminiscent of childhood memories.  
  
"I'm coming soon, big brother," the promise left the vision's lips with a widening smile. "We'll be a family again Seto."  
  
With that the dream faded and Seto sat up, cold perspiration cool on his skin, his hair sticking to his brow.  
  
"Mokuba," he whispered in the dark room. Turning, he picked up a photograph placed on his side table. It had been taken at the orphanage, and was of he and his brother standing in front of a huge tree; his arms wrapped around the black haired ball of energy that was Mokuba Kiaba. Seeing the smiling image of his brother, a gentle smile bloomed on the tall teen's face and hope on the brink of disappearing for good flared once again in his heart.  
  
"Hello? Yeah it's me," Yami held the cell phone to his ear and listened to the other person at the other end reply. "So can you come here soon? There's something, or rather someone here that I'm sure you'd love to meet. Ok, see you soon, bye." Yami pushed the end button and looked up at the moon through the window.  
  
'Soon, soon everything will be answered.'  
  
to be continued  
  
tiger: i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry im sorry!!  
  
Bakura: you damn well better be!  
  
Yami: let's see...you're what? two months late on your update?  
  
Bakura: that is lazy lazy work, tsk tsk i am so very ashamed  
  
tiger: ;__; i is sowwy *puppy dog eyes*  
  
Yugi: i forgive you *hugs tiger* after all we short people gotta stick together ^___________^ tiger: *sniffsniff* thankies!! *huggles Yugi* i wove you, you wittle cutie pie!!  
  
Yugi: ^__________^* hehehe  
  
Ryou: Bakura you apologize now! that was mean!! you too Yami, that was mean!!  
  
Bakura: but i dun wanna!! *pout*  
  
Ryou: apologize now or *whispers in Bakura's ear*  
  
Bakura: O_O you wouldn't!!  
Ryou: o wouldn't i now?  
  
tiger: yeah!! you show him who's boss snow bunny!!  
  
Seto: snow bunny?  
  
tiger: yep! doesn't he remind you of a cute little bunny rabbit? so cute *glomps Ryou* Ryou: err.....thanks tiger, i think hehehe ^_________^  
  
Bakura: hands off of him!!  
  
tiger: no, not 'till you apologize  
  
Bakura: fine...i'm sorry  
tiger: good ^_______^ i is happy now  
tiger: i'm sorry i'm sorry really i tried to get this out as quick as i could!!  
  
!!please review!! 


	14. Chapter 12: Golden Hunter

By Shadows and Lights by: jade_tiger Disclaimer: I don't own anything...except the idea of this story, and any original characters that may pop up. Please don't sue! I have no money! Plus I'm just borrowing, honest! I'll return them good as new when I'm done with them, promise!  
  
Warning: This fic is slash, if you're up to this chapter I can only assume you are aware of what this implies, if not it's m/m pairings. Characters will also be OOC and this is AU.  
  
A.N. Ryou Bakura - Ryou Hunter, Yami Bakura - Bakura Kageshi, Yami Yugi - Yami Taiyou, Seto Kaiba - will be referred to as Kai, which is short for Kaiba, at some points. Yugi and Seto are also adoptive brothers so they will call each other brother. *"words"* - spoken telepathically, 'words' - thoughts, "words" - spoken out loud.  
  
One week later: Saturday, early morning  
  
Chapter Twelve: Golden Hunter  
  
Long before the sun peaked over the horizon were the three figures awake, in truth they had not slept at all. The night was spent walking through the shadowed streets, moving silently as if shadows themselves. Unlike most people they were not asleep in bed dreaming contently of happy times, no, for the three, happiness was not something so easily attained, it was something as foreign to them as a normal life.  
  
"We should get back, I doubt we'll run into anymore of them," said Yugi, even as his eyes scanned their surroundings for the slightest sign of movement in the darkness.  
  
"Yeah, I think we did pretty well tonight. We should get some rest, it's been a hell of a night," Ryou said, looking at Seto and Yugi, who both looked as they always did when on a hunt, grim and dispassionate.  
  
"All right, let's get back. We can sleep in late since we don't have school today, and I don't think we have to hunt tonight," said Seto, looking at the watch that encircled his slim wrist. 'Hmmm 3 a.m. still early,' he thought.  
  
The three headed home weary yet alert, walking as a unit. Undetected to the Lights, two pairs of eyes watched their movements carefully, hidden by the enshrouding darkness. One set glinted slightly with an unnatural light, while the other gleamed with mirth while watching the three walk away.  
  
*"It's amazing how the small one and the Hunter looks so much like the Shadows. Heh, the tall one looks familiar too, does he not?"* inquired the taller figure, using the familiar telepathic path.  
  
*"They do, do you think they've figured out about their past yet?"* the smaller wondered, a small smile playing about his lips.  
  
*"I doubt it, if they did they're hiding it well...I just hope they remember when the Shadows are around. The telepathic power they release will be one hell of a blast for the Shadows, and the expressions on their faces will be absolutely priceless when they recognize one another,"* the figure gave a cackle of laughter his eyes glowing.  
  
*"You're sadistic, you know that, right?"* The message was sent dripping with amusement, causing a smirk to bloom on the recipients face, fangs glinting maliciously in the darkness.  
  
"And I'm damn proud of it too," replied the taller figure. The two stayed among the darkness as the three hunters disappeared from sight.  
  
"Ryou's changed a lot from the last time I saw him," the smaller one commented thoughtfully, moving out of the shadows, followed by the taller figure. "He's gotten better, I think working with those two have been good for him." The vampire looked at his companion, noting the wistful look in the human's eyes as he made the comment. Stopping just shy of the light he looked up at the moon, eyes reflecting the nocturnal light with an eerie gleam.  
  
"Do you regret it?" he inquired, his tone distant, bellying none of his emotions.  
  
"Regret what? Agreeing to do this?" he looked back at the vampire, a slim brow raised in question.  
  
"No, I meant coming with me all those years ago, leaving you life behind...everything." Although his voice was nonchalant, seemingly uncaring, his breath was bated, waiting for his companion's reply.  
  
"I don't know, sometimes...sometimes I miss living a normal life, being able to live like a normal teenager, things like that. I mean, I know my life wasn't exactly normal to begin with but I still had a normal day life, now...well now I don't." At the comment regret washed over the Ancient, causing unfamiliar pain to lance through him.  
  
"I'm sorry then...I should not have done what I did. Taking you from all you held dear was like killing you. I hadn't realized what I was doing...I cared more for my own happiness, and due to my selfish actions you had to pay the price while I had all the gains." He turned away from the slightly smaller man, unwilling to allow his weakness to be seen, unwilling to allow anyone to see his pain. The hunter looked at his Ancient companion, although the vampire's face was devoid of any emotion he sensed the underlying torment in his companion, torment his words had inadvertently caused. He moved closer to the vampire and laid his head on the tense shoulder, bespeaking of trust and deep affection.  
  
"I don't regret anything I've done, I did what I did of my own free will. You shouldn't blame yourself for my choices. Besides, do you think I would have preferred to stay in my old life where I was completely alone, or here...with you, the one who holds my heart?" The Ancient looked down at the face of the human who gave his heart and life for him, willingly and without regret and felt the warmth that had been absent for centuries before he met the human surround him chasing away the cold brought by the darkness.  
  
"I've lived for so many lifetimes and I've never met anyone who would so willingly give me what you've given me without thought," he said his gaze softened, eyes glowing with something other than the constant need for blood and carnage that had been such an integral part of his existence until he met a small child, and vowed to watch over him.  
  
"Well you did tell me you loved me," the hunter replied with a smile. "It's not everyday The Golden Death says that to anyone...hell I doubt it's even said in a hundred year interval."  
  
"You'd be right, I never said that to anyone, ever," replied the vampire called by many as The Golden Death, his reputation the closest ever to rival that of any of the feared Shadows. "Then again, it isn't everyday that the Golden Light says that to anyone either." The vampire smiled down at the human his eyes catching and reflecting the light from a nearby street lamp.  
  
"Don't forget I'm not just the Golden Light, my Golden Demon, I'm also the Golden Hunter, and I'm damn good at hunting," said the human with complete confidence, before walking out into the night, walking the direction taken by the three they had watched.  
  
The darkness was broken by a sudden flash of light, not pure white, but rather light tinted by gold, like light emitted by the desert sun. Suddenly two figures appeared in front of the watcher, one was a stranger, the other a familiar figure, wide brown eyes blurred with barely held tears and white hair glowing like a halo.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ryou, we could not find him," said the stranger gravely.  
  
"No! You mustn't have looked hard enough," cried the younger version of Ryou, his accent more pronounced. "H-he couldn't have been beaten. He can't be...he can't!" With that the youth turned and ran, and once again the darkness was encompassing, like a shroud of pain, sadness, mourning and death making the appearance of even barest hint of light to impossible. In the darkness the heartbreaking cries of a boy echoed, mourning the loss of another bearing the Hunter name.  
  
Seto sat up abruptly, eyes wide; heart beating a wild tattoo in his chest; sweat plastering his hair against his nape. Wearily he raised a hand a wiped at his face, surprised to find trails of moisture running from his eyes.  
  
"Another one," sighed Seto, "Ryou what's wrong? Why are you letting these memories pass through your barriers? What do you sense?" His questions were answered with nothing but the silence of the night, lately all his questions were going unanswered, something that often caused him to lose what little sleep he got. Aware he would get no more rest Seto moved to the edge of his bed and stood, not at all bothered by the darkness nor by the cool air in his room that touched the bare skin of his torso. Moving confidently in the darkness he picked up his laptop from his desk and walked to his door heading down the stairs for the library. He did not bothering to turn on any lights as he went, comfortable in the darkness that was often both his ally and enemy, able to his him from those he hunted and hide those who hunted him.  
  
Seto entered the library and moved to the desk at the side of the large room, turning on the lamp he blinked at the sudden light, he set down the laptop and sat down turning on the machine, the electrical hum comforting in its familiarity. Soon the sound of tapping keys replaced the silence of the room. Opening the familiar file containing all the information they had gathered on the Shadows, Seto studied the collected data, attempting to put faces to the descriptions and failing. The information seemed to mock him, giving him cryptic answers at a time of urgency.  
  
"Who the hell can they be?" he asked the silence. "How do you fight an enemy you don't even know? Faceless enemies who has killed anyone to have ever seen their faces." Seto sighed and tilted his head back looking up at the ceiling and closing his eyes racking his brain for an answer. Suddenly sightless blue eyes snapped open, glazed and unseeing.  
  
Three figures stood in the shadows, he couldn't see any of them, not even their silhouettes yet he knew they were there. Watching with predatory eyes, glowing crimson with centuries old power, canines elongating to deadly points, an insatiable thirst burning, wanting, needing that which is the life of all things. Blood.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice cracking in barely held desperation.  
  
*"You know who we are, just as we know who you are,"* replied a mental voice, a familiar tone that begged to be recognized.  
  
*"We're watching you, you and the other Lights. We're watching and waiting."* the message was both a warning and a threat.  
  
Just as suddenly as the vision came it disappeared leaving Seto to stare at the glowing screen before him, his heart beating a fierce rhythm in his chest.  
  
"I know them," he said into the quiet room.  
  
*"That you do Seto Kaiba, that you do."* The reply was unexpected and Seto shot up from his seat in a ready fighting stance, his eyes sweeping the room, finding nothing but the shadows of the night.  
  
"Who's there?" he demanded, his eyes searching sharply for any movements. "Show yourself," the command held a firm mental compulsion, silently demanding obedience to his order. "Come to me." Seto's voice softened, deepened into a deadly tone that had called more than one vampire to their demise, the hypnotic rhythm of his voice was something that he had learned to use to its fullest advantage through the years.  
  
*"You are powerful, I've yet to meet a human who is able to use a more powerful compulsion than you,"* the veiled compliment was both surprised and amused. *"However, I have lived countless lifetimes and your attempt if for nothing."* Seto growled at the self-assured comment, baring his teeth in anger, his fire blue eyes narrowing.  
  
"If you wont show yourself and fight, then leave, we'll all meet soon enough, leave now." Suddenly Seto froze, his eyes widening.  
  
"As you wish," said the unseen vampire, warm breath whispering over his ear and nape. "Until we meet again, my Blue Eyes," the promise was filled with a possessive note that further unnerved the brunet, and just as suddenly as the vampire got close it was gone the only sign of the loss if its presence was the disappearance of the warmth behind the teen. As soon as it left Seto shook off his surprise and turned seeing nothing behind him but the laptop that glowed blue humming contentedly. With a sigh he sat back down and looked at the screen, again his eyes widened as his gaze fell upon the open file, a message blinking up at him.  
  
We're already here and we have our eyes on you and the others.  
  
"Dammit," Seto muttered slamming a fist onto the hard wood of the table, again no answers were given to his questions, but danger was still lurking in the darkness waiting to devour him and those he held dear.  
  
Bakura sat silently a book on his lap, the lamplight casting shadows on the walls in a soothing manner, the loud music blaring from hidden speakers boldly opposing the quiet serenity. However, the Ancient's attention was not directed at the book in front of him, but rather at a distant memory.  
  
"Are you going to visit me again soon 'Kura?" asked the child, older now than when they had first met but still possessing the same blinding innocence.  
  
"Of course I will, little Light, don't I always?" The smile bestowed onto the child was a rare sight, one that the young human was accustomed to seeing whenever he was visited by his dark angel. Short arms quickly encircled the Ancient's neck and a child's happy laughter rang though him, spreading warmth through his cold soul.  
  
The memory faded back in time leaving a smile on Bakura's lips, a smile that quickly slipped away as Yami entered the room. Yami, as always, looked serious, but the colour on his usually pale cheeks and the unquenchable light in his eyes spoke of a recent meal the temporarily sated the spreading darkness that was present within both of them.  
  
"You're back early," commented Bakura, a contemplative look in his eyes as he gazed at the slightly older vampire. Yami flashed a smile, fangs still extended, gleaming at the white haired demon. Bakura rolled his eyes and looked back down at the book on his lap. "You got a call, said they'll be here in a few weeks. I have no idea why you even bothered to call them, we don't need help with this, and as much as I like the squirt he wont be of any use to us in any way. You're only putting him in danger." The comment showed no real concern, only a veiled warning of the dangers in the future, something that Yami was well aware of.  
  
"The kid can take care of himself, he's a survivor, just like his brothers," Yami said taking a seat across from Bakura and closing his eyes, a smile playing about his lips and the blood coursing through him providing colour to his cheeks. Bakura's eyes were trained unwaveringly at the Pharaoh, narrowed and glowing a slight crimson.  
  
"Brothers? How, pray tell, do you even know he has brothers? Let alone that they are even alive." The air was suddenly cold; a silent threat hanging overhead as their powers slowly rose and clashed.  
  
"The kid told me he had brothers, and you know as well as I do that he's a survivor. He was able to live through vampires like Mason and Creed at a young age, I have no doubt his brothers can live through worse." Yami's tone was confident, showing nothing of what he knew, and his crimson eyes mirrored the glow flickering in Bakura's amber ones.  
  
"Is there something you're not telling us Yami?" Bakura questioned, closing the book with an abrupt snap and leaning forward, his fangs extending in his mouth.  
  
"No more than what you are keeping to yourself, Bakura," replied Yami, eyes hardening a deadly glitter shimmering in their ancient depths.  
  
"I have many secret Pharaoh," said Bakura quietly, standing and moving towards the door, his steps gliding and inaudible. "Secrets that move me to act on my own, and I regret nothing of what I do, and what I have done, I never will." Bakura paused at the door, unmoving, his pale hand resting on the doorknob. "Things from my past still haunt me, you and Joey are aware of this, but my past wont turn me into a monster. I will not become a heartless killer...I wont be like him." With that Bakura stepped out of the room leaving Yami alone with his thoughts.  
  
'I know my friend,' Yami thought to himself, his eyes still at the door. 'The monster from your past still haunts you and the thoughts of what will become of you in the future brings fear to you.' Yami closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the cushion the effect of the recent feeding already dissipating at a rapid rate.  
  
"You wont become a monster 'Kura, you wont turn out like him. The risk you've taken willingly and your determination to protect the Hunter - that is what keeps you from his power."  
  
Ryou paced the living room his hands fisting at his sides, eyes hard, Yugi sat on a chair a frown on his brow and Seto sat in front of the coffee table, the computer in front of him, his hands steepled in concentration.  
  
"So they already know who we are," Yugi said in the silence. He looked at his brother, who kept his gaze trained in front of him, his shoulders rigid with tension. The small empath felt no emotion from his brother and that truly worried him; never had Seto ever been so...cold, empty of any kind of feeling, completely cut off from any type of warmth.  
  
"Yes, they know everything." Seto's voice was monotonous void of any emotion. "I should have done something, if I did maybe we'd have less to worry about or al least we might have gotten a clue of who the fuck they are." Suddenly the brunet lashed out and the laptop sailed across the room slamming against the wall with enough force to shatter the screen and crack the plastic, the sound like a gunshot in the silence. "I should have done something, anything!!" Seto raged, the anger he felt becoming uncontrollable. "Dammit! Now I've put you all in more danger." Seto stood and paced his eyes flickering blue flames narrowed in frustrated anger.  
  
"Kai, we were already in danger, you haven't done anything to put us in any more. And be reasonable, if you had taken that vampire on and he was one of the Shadows you might have been seriously hurt, you know that. I know we're good, but the Shadows are Ancients possibly the most dangerous Ancients, at that," said Ryou, trying to reason with the pacing teen.  
  
"It doesn't matter, I might've been able to hurt him enough...I didn't even try." Seto stopped in front of what was left of his laptop and stared at the broken equipment, his eyes unseeing. "I just froze."  
  
"What's really bothering you Kai?" Ryou asked placing a hand on his friend's arm. "Usually you don't get shaken up like this easily, and you haven't been getting much sleep lately. What's wrong?" Seto turned slightly and looked down at the smaller teen.  
  
"It's you," he whispered. Shock made it's way into Ryou's eyes and was clearly evident on his face. "I don't know why, but lately I've been having dreams - visions. They're memories Ryou, yours." Seto gazed solemnly at his friend, eyes unblinking.  
  
"M-my memories," Ryou said tremulously, his eyes darkening. "What did you see?"  
  
"Shadows in the darkness, the pain of loss, and last night I saw a death," Seto replied, watching his friend's reaction. "There are things in your past that you want to forget, yet you know you must remember." Wordlessly Ryou nodded and walked to the couch, taking a seat, his dark brown eyes staring off into space, seeing not the present but the past.  
  
"Ryou, what is it?" Yugi asked directing his gaze at his pale friend. Ryou took a deep breath and closed his eyes, which stung with unwanted tears from past pains. Memories of faces seemed to pass through his mind, and with each face came a memory that fought to be remembered.  
  
"I hunt for more than revenge for my parents, more than my name. To me vampires not only took away my family, those monsters have taken everything, everyone, I have ever grown to care for." Seto and Yugi said nothing allowing the teen to speak. "I don't know how I survived the massacre, no one else did, and all I recall is waking up at my Aunt's house and being told that my mother and father were dead. Two things are clear in my mind though, the blood splattered on the walls of my home as I heard screams, and roan red eyes and a warm voice comforting me. The eyes and voice are a constant in my childhood memories, wherever I was so was my companion. He was my family, after the deaths I had seen...he was everything to me." As he spoke Ryou's eyes overflowed with silent tears and his shoulders shook, but his voice remained steady and strong. "He was taken too, he disappeared, I haven't heard or seen him since then."  
  
"Could he have been the one in my vision then?" Seto asked.  
  
"I don't know, no one knew of him, just me. Sometimes I think I just made him up, a figment of a lonely child's desperate imaginings." Ryou looked down at his hands fighting against the painful memories of the loss of his companion. "I don't think I ever really saw him, I remember mostly his voice and eyes, nothing more."  
  
"Maybe it was him," Seto insisted. "You were talking to a man, telling him he didn't try hard enough. You mentioned someone not being beaten." Ryou looked up at Seto his eyes still moist.  
  
"How old did I look to you?" Ryou asked.  
  
"I don't know, not that young, I think maybe a year or two before we met. Ten maybe eleven?"  
  
"It might have been him...but probably not, he disappeared when I was around eight and no one knew about him. I only told one other person about him, other than you two," Ryou said pain flashing through his eyes.  
  
"What happened to that person? The one who knew about your friend," Seto murmured.  
  
"He was a Hunter, and followed the Hunter history - he was a hunter. I learned a lot from him before he disappeared. He was only a few years older than me; he went on a hunt and never came back. His body was never found."  
  
"He might still be alive," said Yugi. "If his body was never found, there's still a chance." Neither Seto nor Ryou replied for fear of the possibility best left forgotten.  
  
"If he was he would have contacted me, I know he would have," murmured Ryou, more to himself than the others.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked the figure looking down at his companion.  
  
"Yes, it's been years, hopefully he'll still remember me." The slightly smaller figure smiled in remembrance of the days when he was still alive, those long forgotten memories that had almost been lost.  
  
"Who could forget you?" The taller figure pulled the other close and breathed in their scent, smell that was uniquely their own. "I'll be watching, ok? He's your cousin, I understand that, but to him you're dead. Be careful." With that the vampire left, leaving the figure in his own looking at the Victorian house.  
  
"Okay, here we go," the figure breathed and walked towards the door, pressing the doorbell. He shifted nervously as he waited for the answer feeling both apprehension and excitement.  
  
The three turned towards the door leading to the hall at the sound of the chimes rang through the room.  
  
"Who can that be?" murmured Yugi looking quizzically at Ryou and Seto. "I'm sure we didn't invite Yami and the others today, did we?"  
  
"No, we didn't and no one usually comes here to begin with," Seto said his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I'll answer it, be ready." His tone held both a warning and reassurance s he walked out of the room. Seto opened the door and instantly his eyes widened and glazed over, the effects of another vision setting in.  
  
"You're getting better, all you need is a little more practice," commented the blond looking at a younger Ryou with smiling eyes.  
  
"Yeah," replied Ryou, his tone dejected a look of loss still present in his eyes.  
  
"Hey, come on now, you'll find your friend Ryou. I'm sure he's find and he'll visit you soon." A comforting hand was placed on the pale boy's shoulder in an attempt of reassurance at a time of insecurity.  
  
"But what if he doesn't? It's been so long, 'Kura's never been gone this long...what if..." Panic bloomed in the chocolate brown depths and tears slowly made their way down Ryou's pale cheeks.  
  
"Ryou from what you've told me this 'Kura is...not someone who is easily hurt. I don't know how to tell you this, but he may very well be a vampire," the boy said thoughtfully. "Strange though...most vampires aren't exactly caring, not to say that they're all bloodthirsty monsters. No....not all of them are killers," a wistful look passed through the slightly taller boy's face before he looked young Ryou straight in the eyes with a serious expression. "Ryou, I know you're new to this but I'm sure you'll do fine; you're a Hunter, it's in our blood, it's our mark in this world - our legacy. However, you must never forget this: No race is without a trace of goodness. I know we hunt vampires because they kill but not all vampires are evil. Don't become like other hunters Ryou, don't become blinded with hatred that you begin killing without thought, to do so is to become the monster," the youth looked away, eyes dark in thought.  
  
"How can you say that there are good vampires? If there are then how come my parents are dead? And your sister? She's dead too, if there's such a thing as good vampires how come our families are dead?" An angry light entered the brown eyes, tears of sorrow changing to those of rage.  
  
"Ryou I never said that all vampires are good, I said there are those who are, I should know - I've met one." The taller youth smiled at the young Ryou whose wide eyes grew more.  
  
"Y-you have?"  
  
"Yes, I've met one Ryou, and so have you." The smile remained intact as the boy turned and begin to walk away. "Come on cousin, we'll be late for lunch if we don't hurry."  
  
Slowly everything became engulfed by darkness leaving the unfamiliar youth standing surrounded by inky darkness. Without turning his voice was carried to Seto's ears, who watched as the scene shifted from past to present.  
  
"My cousin and I are not the only ones to have met powerful vampires who hide their kindness." The figure, now a man slightly older than Seto, stood in place of the boy and turned and looking towards the silent watcher. "You know this, you just need to believe it." Darkness fully engulfed the scene taking away what little light there was, leaving Seto alone in complete shadows.  
  
Cerulean blue eyes snapped open the glazed look slowly fading, the darkness receding leaving him staring at a pair of the most unusual eyes he'd ever seen.  
  
"Hey you okay there? You just...passed out," said the man, looking at Seto with worried eyes and a hesitant smile.  
  
"I'm fine, just tired...who are you?" Seto sat up reluctantly accepting the offered assistance of the stranger, feeling more drained than usual.  
  
"Oh, yeah, sorry, I'm looking for someone, my cousin, Ryou Hunter," said the stranger pulling the brunet up.  
  
"Ryou, he's inside," Seto mumbled bracing a hand against the wall. "Come in." Unsteadily he removed his hand from the wall and made his way towards the living room followed by the other.  
  
"Thanks, what happened back there? You just collapsed," commented the stranger watching the brunet's back intently for any reaction.  
  
"I'm a bit sick, it's nothing to worry about," Seto said pushing the door open and entering, the new comer following cautiously. At Seto's return Yugi and Ryou turned and looked towards the tall teen, seeing the slight signs of another vision Yugi immediately walked over to help but was waved back by his brother.  
  
"I'm fine Yugi," said Seto softly. "Ryou, someone here for you." Ryou raised a fine brow as Seto shifted allowing him a look at the stranger. Seeing the face of the figure Ryou gasped and stumbled back as if seeing a ghost, his face paling, his eyes widening and his heart beating fiercely in his chest.  
  
"No - no," he whispered raggedly, moving further away as the figure hesitantly moved past Seto nearing the white haired teen. "You're not...you can't be. How? Who are you?"  
  
"Ryou it's me, don't you remember me?" the new comer asked holding a slim hand out, one corner of his lips pulling up in a familiar smirk.  
  
"No, my cousin died, he disappeared. He was killed, we searched everywhere for him and we never found him, he's dead." Desperation coloured Ryou's tone, a desperation for protection from old pains clear on his face.  
  
"I wasn't killed Ryou, I just made certain choices that called me away. It's been years but you know it's me, little cousin." A pleading look entered the taller figure's face. Ryou stopped moving back and his face hardened the look of pain fading to be replaced by cold anger, a rage stemming from grief.  
  
"Prove it," he snarled lowly. "I searched for him for years and found nothing, prove you are who claim to be," he said coldly, eyes flat. The stranger with a familiar face gave a smile and turned his back on the white haired hunter presenting him with his back. Grasping the hem of his shirt he pulled it up to reveal his back for a moment before letting the fabric slip down once again. Turning back he smiled once again at the teen.  
  
"Believe me yet, cuz?" he asked opening his arms.  
  
"M-Malik," Ryou whispered, staggering forward into the embrace and slipped his own arms around the man. "I-They said they couldn't find you, I searched and....I thought you were dead - I thought I lost you too." Ryou buried his face against the dark skin at Malik's neck, tightening his hold as if to prove that his cousin would not disappear and was not just an illusion.  
  
"Nope, not dead yet Ryou," Malik murmured into the snow-white hair he remembered so well.  
  
"What happened? Why did you leave?" Ryou asked his face still hidden.  
  
"I can't tell you that, yet, but I can tell you why I returned." Pulling away the blond turned slightly to address the other two in the room. "You're being hunted." Seto's eyes narrowed in suspicion and Yugi unconsciously fisted his hands.  
  
"How did you know?" Ryou asked his tone also holding suspicion.  
  
"I have my ways," Malik said, "I know you three are at the top of almost every Ancient's hit list and that the Shadows are out for your blood."  
  
"Then why come now?" Yugi asked his eyes narrowing. "Most wouldn't show themselves at these times."  
  
"I'm not most, and I'm here to help," replied the blond, his lavender eyes calm. "I know for a fact that the Shadows should not be your main concern because at the moment they are more likely to help you than to kill you." At that everyone's eyes narrowed becoming the cold, hard eyes, not of teens, but of three hunters who have seen the worst in all things vampires and humans alike.  
  
"Care to elaborate?" said Seto, blue eyes blank. Malik turned his back on the three and looked off into space a blank look falling across his features.  
  
"Without light there can be no shadows, without shadows how can one know light? The past you've all lived and forgotten will come back and it's up to you to write your own fates, I'm merely here as a guide." Malik said cryptically, lavender eyes blank as if seeing an unseen revelation. "You know them, you knew them, you just have to see them for who and what they are."  
  
to be continue  
  
tiger: ...I'M SOOOOO SORRY. i really was planning on having more than one chapter out during the summer but, well writer's block is a pain in the ass  
  
Bakura: sure, you were just too lazy to write  
  
tiger: was not! not only did i have a severe case of writer's block, my computer decided to screw me over. the monitor completely broke and i had a virus, after getting all that fixed something else went wrong. then that black out thing a while ago, i almost died!!  
  
Seto: that's 'cause you're afraid of the dark  
  
tiger: am not! well...maybe a little, but it was mostly because it was so hot! Yami: not to mention she finally got Kingdom Hearts, which she's been spending so much time playing tiger: can you blame me? i absolutely love that game, Squaresoft is the best! Riku's hot!! Leon's not bad either, same goes for Cloud (-'.'-) hehehehe  
  
Ryou: i have to agree on that one...Leon DOES look good  
  
Bakura: hey! *pout* thanks a lot tiger, bad enough you take so long getting this out but now you taint my light  
  
tiger: he ain't the only one i tainted hehehehe (^____^)  
  
Yugi: *walks in with Cloud plushy* Cloud's the bestest!!  
  
Ryou: *pulls out Leon plushy* no Leon is!!  
  
Yugi: no he's not! Cloud is!!  
  
Ryou: nuh uh Leon's the coolest!!  
  
Yugi and Ryou: *arguing over who's better*  
  
Yami: ( -.-*) why me?  
  
Bakura: *pout* this sucks  
  
Seto: *walks over to Yugi and Ryou* you're both wrong *pulls out Sephiroth plushy* Sephiroth's the best!! Yami and Bakura: ( O.o*) o dear Ra she got him too  
  
tiget: hehehehe i think they're all good...but Riku's the best!!!  
  
Seto, Yugi and Ryou: no he's not!!  
  
!!please review!! 


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